Apparatus for delivering ocular implants into an anterior chamber of the eye
First Claim
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1. A cannula for delivering an ocular implant into Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, comprising:
- a rigid curved tube adapted to extend along a medial plane through an anterior chamber of the eye to achieve tangential entry into Schlemm'"'"'s canal;
a trough portion formed by an opening extending along a distal portion of the rigid curved tube; and
an asymmetric tip disposed at a distal end of the trough portion offset from, and asymmetric about, the medial plane, the asymmetric tip being located at an intersection between an upper camming surface and a lower camming surface, the upper camming surface being configured to contact scleral tissue of the eye to guide the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the lower camming surface being configured to contact a scleral spur of the eye to guide the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.
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Abstract
An ocular implant adapted to be disposed within Schlemm'"'"'s canal of a human eye with a body extending along a curved longitudinal central axis in a curvature plane, a first strut on one side of the implant and a second strut on an opposite side of the implant, the circumferential extent of the first strut with respect to the plane of curvature being greater than the circumferential extent of the second strut with respect to the plane of curvature. The invention also includes methods of using the implant.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A cannula for delivering an ocular implant into Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, comprising:
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a rigid curved tube adapted to extend along a medial plane through an anterior chamber of the eye to achieve tangential entry into Schlemm'"'"'s canal; a trough portion formed by an opening extending along a distal portion of the rigid curved tube; and an asymmetric tip disposed at a distal end of the trough portion offset from, and asymmetric about, the medial plane, the asymmetric tip being located at an intersection between an upper camming surface and a lower camming surface, the upper camming surface being configured to contact scleral tissue of the eye to guide the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the lower camming surface being configured to contact a scleral spur of the eye to guide the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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9. An ocular implant and delivery system, comprising:
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a rigid curved cannula adapted to extend along a medial plane through an anterior chamber of an eye to achieve tangential entry into Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye; a trough portion formed by an opening extending along a distal portion of the rigid curved cannula; an ocular implant configured to be carried inside the rigid curved cannula and advanced distally through the rigid curved cannula and along the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and an asymmetric tip disposed at a distal end of the trough portion offset from, and asymmetric about, the medial plane, the asymmetric tip being located at an intersection between an upper camming surface and a lower camming surface, the upper camming surface being configured to contact scleral tissue of the eye to guide the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the lower camming surface being configured to contact a scleral spur of the eye to guide the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23)
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17. A method of inserting an ocular implant into Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the method comprising:
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inserting a curved cannula having a distal trough portion through an anterior chamber of the eye to gain tangential entry of the trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal; allowing an upper camming surface of a distal tip of the distal trough portion to contact scleral tissue of the eye to guide the distal trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal; allowing a lower camming surface of the distal tip of the distal trough portion to contact a scleral spur of the eye to guide the distal trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and advancing an ocular implant through the curved cannula and along the distal trough portion into Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification