Method and apparatus for reducing intraocular pressure
First Claim
1. An apparatus for draining aqueous humor from an eye for reducing intraocular pressure, the eye having an anterior chamber and including a cornea, a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer, and an external ocular surface of the eye under an eyelid, the apparatus comprising:
- a first tube extending, along a first axis, between an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being adapted to be in fluid communication with the anterior chamber of the eye, and the first tube being adapted to direct a flow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber and through the inlet end to the outlet end;
a housing defining a cavity in fluid communication with the outlet end of the first tube, the cavity being configured to receive the aqueous humor;
a second tube extending along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis of the first tube, the second tube having opposed proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinally-extending channel, the second tube having a proximal opening disposed at the proximal end and a distal opening disposed at the distal end, the proximal end of the second tube being disposed in the housing and the distal end being spaced from the housing, the channel being in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to receive, through the proximal opening, the aqueous humor from the cavity and to direct the aqueous humor through the distal opening to a drainage site disposed distally to the anterior chamber and to the housing; and
a flow control device operably engaged with the second tube and configured to control the flow of the aqueous humor from the cavity and through the distal opening of the second tube to the drainage site.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for reducing intraocular pressure is provided. A tube extends from an inlet end in fluid communication with an anterior chamber of the eye, to direct an aqueous humor flow from the anterior chamber to an outlet end in fluid communication with a cavity, defined by a housing, for receiving the aqueous humor. A proximal end of an elongate tubular member defining a longitudinally-extending channel is engaged with the housing such that the channel is in fluid communication with the cavity and such that a distal end of the tubular member is spaced apart from the housing, wherein the channel is configured to receive the aqueous humor from the cavity and to direct the aqueous humor through the distal end to a drainage site disposed distally to the anterior chamber and to the housing. An associated method is also provided.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. An apparatus for draining aqueous humor from an eye for reducing intraocular pressure, the eye having an anterior chamber and including a cornea, a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer, and an external ocular surface of the eye under an eyelid, the apparatus comprising:
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a first tube extending, along a first axis, between an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being adapted to be in fluid communication with the anterior chamber of the eye, and the first tube being adapted to direct a flow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber and through the inlet end to the outlet end; a housing defining a cavity in fluid communication with the outlet end of the first tube, the cavity being configured to receive the aqueous humor; a second tube extending along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis of the first tube, the second tube having opposed proximal and distal ends and defining a longitudinally-extending channel, the second tube having a proximal opening disposed at the proximal end and a distal opening disposed at the distal end, the proximal end of the second tube being disposed in the housing and the distal end being spaced from the housing, the channel being in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to receive, through the proximal opening, the aqueous humor from the cavity and to direct the aqueous humor through the distal opening to a drainage site disposed distally to the anterior chamber and to the housing; and a flow control device operably engaged with the second tube and configured to control the flow of the aqueous humor from the cavity and through the distal opening of the second tube to the drainage site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of manufacturing an apparatus for draining aqueous humor from an eye for reducing intraocular pressure, the eye having an anterior chamber and including a cornea, a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer, and an external ocular surface of the eye under an eyelid, the method comprising:
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engaging an outlet end of a first tube into fluid communication with a cavity defined by a housing, the first tube extending, along a first axis, between an inlet end and the outlet end, the inlet end adapted to be in fluid communication with the anterior chamber of the eye, the first tube being adapted to direct a flow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber and through the inlet end and to the outlet end such that the aqueous humor is received by the cavity; engaging a proximal end of a second tube with the housing, the second tube extending along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis of the first tube, the second tube having a distal end opposing the proximal end and defining a longitudinally-extending channel, the second tube having a proximal opening disposed at the proximal end and a distal opening disposed at the distal end, the proximal end of the second tube being disposed in the housing and the distal end being spaced from the housing, the channel being in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to receive, through the proximal opening, the aqueous humor from the cavity and to direct the aqueous humor through the distal opening to a drainage site disposed distally to the anterior chamber and to the housing; and operably engaging a flow control device with the second tube, the flow control device being configured to control the flow of the aqueous humor from the cavity and through the distal opening to the drainage site. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification