Intraocular shunt inserter

• US 10,470,928 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 11/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Horvath, Christopher, Romoda, Laszlo O., Ahmed, Iqbal K., Hamstrom, Brian Scott, Jung, Wesley Anne, Vera, Vanessa I., Bache, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollm, Jonathan A
• Application Number:
  US15/451,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20170172798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/02 Devices for expanding tissue, e.g. skin tissue implements for holding wounds open, surgical tractors A61B17/02; implantable mammary prosthesis A61F2/12; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3286 Needle tip design, e.g. for improved penetration

Abstract

An inserter for treating glaucoma can comprise a housing, a needle, a plunger, a slider component, and a drive component. The drive component is disposed within a cavity of the housing and rotatable within the cavity to result in movement along a longitudinal axis of the inserter to the needle and the plunger upon rotation of the drive component. The slider component is coupled to the housing and slidable along an elongate groove of the drive component such that movement of the slider component along the axis rotates the drive component within the housing.

Claims

1. An inserter for treating glaucoma, comprising:

a housing;

a needle having a lumen;

a plunger, movable within the lumen;

a drive component comprising a cylindrical member being coupled to the plunger via a plunger groove to result in movement to the plunger along a longitudinal axis of the inserter upon rotation of the drive component, the drive component further comprising a slider groove that longitudinally overlaps with the plunger groove; and

a slider component coupled to the housing and slidable along the slider groove such that movement of the slider component along the axis rotates the drive component within the housing and results in movement of the plunger along the axis.

2. The inserter of claim 1, wherein a first end of the slider groove is positioned at a proximal position on the drive component with respect to the plunger groove and a second end of the slider groove longitudinally overlaps the plunger groove.

3. The inserter of claim 1, wherein the drive component comprises the plunger groove, the plunger groove being configured to engage with the plunger such that upon rotation of the drive component, the engagement results in movement to the plunger along the axis in response to a rotational movement of the drive component.

4. The inserter of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical member is coupled to the needle via a needle groove to result in movement to the needle along the longitudinal axis of the inserter upon rotation of the drive component, the slider groove longitudinally overlapping with the needle groove.

5. The inserter of claim 4, wherein the drive component comprises the needle groove, the needle groove being configured to engage with the needle such that upon rotation of the drive component, the engagement results in a movement to the needle along the axis in response to a rotational movement of the drive component.

6. The inserter of claim 4, wherein the needle groove extends along a half rotation of the drive component.

7. The inserter of claim 1, wherein the slider groove extends along a half rotation of the drive component.

8. The inserter of claim 1, wherein the plunger groove extends along a half rotation of the drive component.

9. The inserter of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises an interior cavity and an elongate slot extending from an outer surface of the housing into the interior cavity, the drive component being supported within the cavity, the slider component being slidable along the slot.

10. The inserter of claim 9, further comprising a lock component configured to engage an outer structure of the housing to restrict movement of the slider component within the slot.

11. The inserter of claim 1, further comprising a knob component coupled to a proximal end of the housing, the knob component being rotatably coupled to the drive component such that rotation of the knob component results in a rotational movement to the drive component.

12. A drive component for actuating an inserter for treating glaucoma, the drive component comprising a cylindrical body having first and second elongate tracks extending along the body, wherein the first elongate track extends helically from a proximal portion toward a distal portion of the body to longitudinally overlap with the second elongate track by intersecting with a common plane that is oriented substantially perpendicular relative to a longitudinal axis of the body, the second elongate track having (1) a first portion, extending helically about the body, and (2) a second portion, extending circumferentially about the body.

13. The component of claim 12, wherein the second portion of the second elongate track extends within a plane oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

14. The component of claim 12, wherein the first portion of the second elongate track extends helically from the second portion of the second elongate track in a direction toward the proximal portion of the body.

15. The component of claim 12, wherein the first elongate track extends helically along a half rotation of the body.

16. The component of claim 12, wherein the second elongate track extends helically along a half rotation of the body.

17. The component of claim 12, further comprising a third elongate track having (i) a first portion, extending circumferentially about the body, and (ii) a second portion, extending helically about the body.

18. The component of claim 17, wherein the second portion of the third elongate track extends helically from the first portion of the third elongate track in a direction toward the proximal portion of the body.

19. The component of claim 17, wherein the third elongate track extends helically along a substantially half rotation of the body.

20. The component of claim 17, wherein the first portion of the third elongate track extends within a plane oriented substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the body.

21. An inserter for treating glaucoma, comprising:

a housing;

a needle having a lumen;

a plunger, movable within the lumen;

a drive component comprising a cylindrical member being coupled to the needle via a needle groove and to the plunger via a plunger groove to result in movement to the needle and the plunger along a longitudinal axis of the inserter upon rotation of the drive component, the drive component further comprising a slider groove that longitudinally overlaps with at least one of the needle groove or the plunger groove; and

a slider component coupled to the housing and slidable along the slider groove such that movement of the slider component along the axis rotates the drive component within the housing and results in movement of the needle and the plunger along the axis.

22. The inserter of claim 21, wherein the slider groove longitudinally overlaps both the needle groove and the plunger groove.

23. The inserter of claim 21, wherein the needle groove extends along a half rotation of the drive component.

24. The inserter of claim 21, wherein the slider groove extends along a half rotation of the drive component.

25. The inserter of claim 21, wherein the plunger groove extends along a half rotation of the drive component.