Ab externo intraocular shunt placement
First Claim
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1. An ab externo method of placing an intraocular shunt into an eye, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining an entry area below a corneal limbus of an eye and a target outflow region;
ballooning the target outflow region of the eye to form a bleb in the target outflow region;
inserting a hollow shaft into the eye at the entry area toward an anterior chamber of the eye, the shaft carrying an intraocular shunt therein;
positioning an inflow end of the shunt within the anterior chamber of the eye;
while maintaining the shunt inflow end in the anterior chamber, removing the shaft from the eye to release the shunt;
massaging the bleb in a direction away from the corneal limbus to reposition an outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region; and
verifying placement of the outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region.
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Abstract
Placing an intraocular shunt ab externo into an eye can include inserting the shunt into the eye and either before and/or after insertion, ballooning a target outflow region of the eye to permit an outflow end of the shunt to be enveloped within the ballooned target outflow region. An injector docking device can optionally be used to guide insertion of the needle and shunt into the eye.
427 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An ab externo method of placing an intraocular shunt into an eye, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining an entry area below a corneal limbus of an eye and a target outflow region; ballooning the target outflow region of the eye to form a bleb in the target outflow region; inserting a hollow shaft into the eye at the entry area toward an anterior chamber of the eye, the shaft carrying an intraocular shunt therein; positioning an inflow end of the shunt within the anterior chamber of the eye; while maintaining the shunt inflow end in the anterior chamber, removing the shaft from the eye to release the shunt; massaging the bleb in a direction away from the corneal limbus to reposition an outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region; and verifying placement of the outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An ab externo method of placing an intraocular shunt into an eye, the method comprising the steps of:
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ballooning a target outflow region within an eye to form a bleb in the target outflow region; positioning an injector docking device, having a needle port, against the eye, the needle port being aligned with the target outflow region; advancing a hollow shaft through the needle port with the hollow shaft aligned with the target outflow region, the hollow shaft housing an intraocular shunt therein; advancing the hollow shaft into the eye toward an anterior chamber of the eye; positioning an inflow end of the shunt within the anterior chamber of the eye; verifying placement of an outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region; while maintaining a longitudinal position of the shunt relative to the eye, removing the shaft from the eye to release the shunt; and massaging the bleb in a direction away from a corneal limbus of eye to reposition the outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification