Intraocular electrode

• US 20020002381A1
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (Vivani Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Joseph H. Schulman, Robert J. Greenberg
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert J., Schulman, Joseph H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,533,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/08 Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue suture bridges A61B17/0466; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0016 with sharp anchoring protrusions, e.g. barbs, pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00727 Apparatus for retinal reattachment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes

Abstract

This invention is a method and apparatus for implanting retinal tacks and retinal electrode element with spiked electrodes. In one aspect of the invention, a tack suitable for insertion into the retina is driven into the retina by the repeated minute blows from the rapid contractions and expansions of the piezoelectric crystal. In a different aspect of the invention, a retinal electrode element with spiked electrodes suitable for insertion into the retina is driven into the retina by the repeated minute blows from the rapid contractions and expansions of the piezoelectric crystal. In another aspect of the invention, a single, short impulse is used to drive the tack home. In a different aspect of the invention, a single, short impulse is used to drive the retinal electrode element with spiked electrodes home. With this mode of tack and electrode element implanting, a remotely placed driver couples its motion to the tack using a thin, elongated tube filled with a suitable hydraulic fluid.

Claims

1. A method for implanting a retinal tack comprising the steps:

a. holding the retinal tack;

b. applying a vibrating forward and back motion to the retinal tack;

c. forcing the tack into the retina and other materials to be secured and into the back of the eyeball;

d. forcing the tack into the back of the eyeball.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of originating the vibrating back and forth motion with a piezoelectric crystal.

3. A method for implanting a retinal tack comprising the steps:

a. holding the retinal tack;

b. applying a sudden force to the tack;

c. forcing the tack into the retina and other materials to be secured and into the back of the eyeball, in any order;

d. forcing the tack into the back of the eyeball.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of originating the sudden force from a driven piston.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of imparting the piston'"'"'s force directly to the tack.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of imparting the piston'"'"'s force indirectly to the tack using a hydraulic fluid contained within a thin tube.

7. An apparatus for implanting a retinal tack comprising:

a. means for holding the retinal tack;

b. means to vibrate the tack in a forward and back direction;

c. means to force the tack into the retina and other material to be secured and into the interior back surface of the eyeball, in any order;

d. forcing the tack into the back of the eyeball.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a piezoelectric crystal as a source of vibrating forward and back motion.

9. An apparatus for implanting a retinal tack comprising:

a. means for holding tack;

b. means for applying a sudden force to the tack;

c. means for forcing the tack into the retina and other materials to be secured to the interior back surface of the eyeball, in any order;

d. forcing the tack into the back of the eyeball.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a driven piston that supplies the sudden force to the tack.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising the direct transfer of the piston'"'"'s sudden force to the tack.

12. The apparatus as in claim 9 further comprising the indirect transfer of the piston'"'"'s sudden force using hydraulic fluid means.

13. A method for securing a retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball comprising the steps:

a. holding and steadying the retinal electrode element;

b. applying a vibrating forward and back motion to the retinal electrode element;

c. forcing the electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy and into materials to be secured to the back of the eyeball and into the retina, in any order;

d. forcing the electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy, into the back of the eyeball.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of originating the vibrating back and forth motion with a piezoelectric crystal.

15. A method for securing a retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball comprising the steps:

a. holding and steadying the retinal electrode element;

b. applying a sudden force to the retinal electrode element;

c. forcing the electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy, into the retina and other materials to be secured to the back of the eyeball, in any order;

d. forcing the electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy, into the back of the eyeball.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of originating the sudden force from a driven piston.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of imparting the piston'"'"'s force directly to the retinal electrode element.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of imparting the piston'"'"'s force indirectly to the retinal electrode element using a hydraulic fluid contained within a thin tube.

19. An apparatus for securing a retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball comprising:

a. means for holding and steadying the retinal electrode element;

b. means to vibrate the retinal electrode element in a forward and back direction;

c. means to force the retinal electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy into the retina and into other material that is to be secured to the interior back surface of the eyeball, in any order;

d. means to force the retinal electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy, into the back of the eyeball.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a piezoelectric crystal as a source of vibrating forward and back motion.

21. An apparatus for securing a retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball comprising:

a. means for holding and steadying the retinal electrode element;

b. means for applying a sudden force to the retinal electrode element;

c. means for forcing the forcing the retinal electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy, into the retina and into other materials that are to be secured to the interior back surface of the eyeball, in any order;

d. forcing the retinal electrode element'"'"'s spike electrodes, real or dummy, into the back of the eyeball.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a driven piston that supplies the sudden force to the retinal electrode element.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising the direct transfer of the piston'"'"'s sudden force to the retinal electrode element.

24. The apparatus as in claim 21 further comprising the indirect transfer of the piston'"'"'s sudden force using hydraulic fluid means.

25. An apparatus comprising a barb means formed as part of the elongated spike electrode of the retinal electrode element so as to keep the electrode from pulling out of the living tissue in which it is implanted.

26. A method comprising the step of forming a barb on a plurality of the elongated spike electrodes of the retinal electrode element so that the electrode will tend to not pull out of the living tissue in which it is embedded.

27. An apparatus comprising a barb means formed as part of the elongated spike dummy non-working electrode to keep the dummy, non-working electrode from pulling out of the living tissue in which it is implanted.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a plurality of dummy non-working electrodes that extend beyond the lengths of the electrodes and anchor the retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising a plurality of dummy non-working electrodes that extend sufficiently beyond the relevant lengths of the electrodes which are proportioned to the curvature of the retinal and anchor the retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball.

30. An method comprising the step of forming a barb means as part of the elongated spiked dummy non-working electrode in order to keep the dummy, non-working electrode from pulling out of the living tissue in which it is implanted.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of forming a plurality of dummy non-working electrodes that extend beyond the lengths of the electrodes in order to anchor the retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball.

32. The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of forming a plurality of dummy non-working electrodes that extend sufficiently beyond the relevant lengths of the electrodes which are proportioned to the curvature of the retinal so as to anchor the retinal electrode element to the back of the eyeball.