Vitrectomy probe with magnetic cutter granted to Alcon Inc

ChangeBridge: Patent Grants - Diagnosis & Surgery (A61B)

Published March 24th, 2026

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

The USPTO has granted patent US12582549B2 to Alcon Inc. for a vitrectomy probe featuring a magnetically driven cutter. The patent, filed on May 2, 2024, describes a probe with a magnetic cutter that can be moved by an induced magnetic field.

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What changed

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent (US12582549B2) to Alcon Inc. for a novel vitrectomy probe. This patent covers a device that utilizes a permanently magnetic cutter within a tube, allowing for controlled movement via an induced magnetic field generated by a field-creation unit, potentially located within the probe body. The filing date for this patent was May 2, 2024, and it was granted on March 24, 2026.

This patent grant signifies a new technological development in surgical instrumentation for ophthalmic procedures. While not imposing direct compliance obligations on other entities, it establishes intellectual property rights for Alcon Inc. Companies involved in the development or manufacturing of surgical probes and related medical devices should be aware of this patent to avoid potential infringement issues. The specific CPC classifications indicate its relevance to surgical cutting instruments and ophthalmic surgical apparatus.

Source document (simplified)

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Vitrectomy probe with magnetically driven cutter

Grant US12582549B2 Kind: B2 Mar 24, 2026

Assignee

Alcon Inc.

Inventors

Nathaniel Reyes

Abstract

A vitrectomy probe includes a probe body and a needle portion projecting from the probe body. The needle portion includes a tube which extends at least partially in the needle portion and at least partially in the probe body. A cutter is positioned inside the tube in the needle portion. The cutter is at least partially composed of a permanently magnetic material. A field-creation unit is adapted to create an induced magnetic field, with the cutter being movable between a first position and a second position based in part on the induced magnetic field. The tube may be at least partially composed of a temporarily magnetic material. In one embodiment, the field-creation unit includes a driving magnet positioned in the probe body and adapted to selectively magnetize the tube.