Devices and methods for glaucoma treatment
First Claim
1. An instrument for delivering ocular implants for treating an ophthalmic condition and dispensing the ocular implants through a wall of a Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the instrument comprising:
- an injection sheath defining a lumen and comprising a distal stent-holding section, the distal stent-holding section sized to be introduced into the eye through an incision in the eye;
a plurality of ocular implants positioned in the lumen, each of said implants comprising a proximal head, a distal tapered base portion, and an intermediate waist portion extending an entire length between the proximal head and the distal tapered base portion, each of said implants sized to bypass a trabecular mesh with the proximal head exposed to an anterior chamber of the eye and the distal tapered base portion exposed to Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the waist portion being substantially cylindrical and having a maximum outer dimension that is smaller than an outer dimension of a distal end of the proximal head and smaller than an outer dimension of a proximal end of the distal tapered base portion, wherein the outer dimension of the distal tapered base portion tapers in a direction longitudinally away from the waist portion, and wherein the proximal end of the distal tapered base portion comprises an edge surface configured to extend perpendicularly from an outer surface of the waist portion; and
a trocar extending through each of the plurality of implants, wherein a distal tip of said trocar is sufficiently sharp to cut through said wall of said Schlemm'"'"'s canal.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Intraocular stents and applicators are disclosed for treating glaucoma. The stents are configured to extend between the anterior chamber of the eye and Schlemm'"'"'s canal for enhancing outflow of aqueous from the anterior chamber so as to reduce intraocular pressure. The stents can have features for anchoring the stent into Schlemm'"'"'s canal as well as preventing the walls of Schlemm'"'"'s canal from closing the outlet of the stents. The applicators can be steerable so as to make implantation easier. Additionally, the applicators can be configured to hold a plurality of stents so that multiple stents can be implanted through one incision without removing the applicator from the incision between serial implantations.
845 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. An instrument for delivering ocular implants for treating an ophthalmic condition and dispensing the ocular implants through a wall of a Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the instrument comprising:
-
an injection sheath defining a lumen and comprising a distal stent-holding section, the distal stent-holding section sized to be introduced into the eye through an incision in the eye; a plurality of ocular implants positioned in the lumen, each of said implants comprising a proximal head, a distal tapered base portion, and an intermediate waist portion extending an entire length between the proximal head and the distal tapered base portion, each of said implants sized to bypass a trabecular mesh with the proximal head exposed to an anterior chamber of the eye and the distal tapered base portion exposed to Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the waist portion being substantially cylindrical and having a maximum outer dimension that is smaller than an outer dimension of a distal end of the proximal head and smaller than an outer dimension of a proximal end of the distal tapered base portion, wherein the outer dimension of the distal tapered base portion tapers in a direction longitudinally away from the waist portion, and wherein the proximal end of the distal tapered base portion comprises an edge surface configured to extend perpendicularly from an outer surface of the waist portion; and a trocar extending through each of the plurality of implants, wherein a distal tip of said trocar is sufficiently sharp to cut through said wall of said Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An instrument for delivering ocular implants for treating an ophthalmic condition and dispensing the ocular implants through a wall of a Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the instrument comprising:
-
an insertion sheath defining a lumen, a distal portion of the insertion sheath sized to be introduced into the eye through an incision in the eye; a trocar disposed in said lumen, said trocar comprising a distal tip having a cutting end sufficiently sharp to cut through said wall of said Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and a plurality of biocompatible ocular implants positioned in the lumen and mounted on the trocar, each of said implants comprising a head, a base portion, and a waist portion extending an entire length between the head and the base portion, each of said implants sized to bypass a trabecular mesh with the head exposed to an anterior chamber of the eye and the base portion exposed to Schlemm'"'"'s canal, wherein a maximum outer dimension of the waist portion is smaller than an outer dimension of an immediately-adjacent portion of the head and smaller than an outer dimension of an immediately-adjacent portion of the base portion, and wherein a proximal end of the base portion comprises an edge surface configured to extend perpendicularly from an outer surface of the waist portion, each of the plurality of implants being mounted on the trocar such that the outer dimension of the base portion tapers toward the distal tip of the trocar. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. An instrument for delivering ocular implants for treating an ophthalmic condition and dispensing the ocular implants through a wall of a Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the instrument comprising:
-
an injection sheath defining a lumen, a distal portion of said injection sheath sized to be introduced into an anterior chamber of the eye; a trocar disposed in said lumen, said trocar comprising a distal tip being sufficiently sharp to cut through said wall of said Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and a plurality of ocular implants mounted on the trocar and positioned in the distal portion of the injection sheath, each of said implants comprising a single tapered base portion having an outer surface that tapers toward the distal tip of the trocar, each of said implants further comprising a waist portion that extends proximally away from a proximal end of the tapered base portion, a maximum outer dimension of the waist portion being smaller than an outer dimension of the proximal end of the tapered base portion, each of said implants further comprising a head portion that extends proximally away from a proximal end of the waist portion, the maximum outer dimension of the waist portion being smaller than an outer dimension of the distal end of the head portion, the proximal end of the tapered base portion comprising an edge surface configured to extend perpendicularly from an outer surface of the waist portion, each of said implants sized to bypass a trabecular mesh with the head portion exposed to an anterior chamber of the eye and the tapered base portion exposed to Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification