Drug-releasing trabecular implant for glaucoma treatment
First Claim
1. A trabecular shunting device that is implantable within an eye, said device comprising:
- an inlet section having at least one inlet lumen;
a flow-restricting member within the at least one inlet lumen, said flow-restricting member being configured to prevent at least one component of blood from passing through the flow-restricting member;
an outlet section having a first outlet end and a second outlet end, said outlet section having at least one outlet lumen that opens to at least one of the first and second outlet ends; and
a middle section having at least one middle lumen, said middle section being attached to said outlet section between the first and second outlet ends, said at least one middle lumen being in fluid communication with both said at least one outlet lumen and said at least one inlet lumen;
wherein the device is configured to permit fluid entering said at least one inlet lumen to pass through the flow-restricting member, enter said at least one middle lumen, pass into said at least one outlet lumen, and then exit the outlet section through at least one of said first and second outlet ends.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method are provided for improved treatment of elevated intraocular pressure due to glaucoma. A trabecular shunting device is adapted for implantation within the trabecular meshwork of an eye such that aqueous humor flows controllably from the anterior chamber of the eye to Schlemm'"'"'s canal, bypassing the trabecular meshwork. The trabecular shunting device may utilize a quantity of pharmaceuticals effective in treating glaucoma, which are controllably released from the device into cells of the trabecular meshwork and/or Schlemm'"'"'s canal. Depending upon the specific treatment contemplated, pharmaceuticals may be utilized in conjunction with the trabecular shunting device such that aqueous flow either increases or decreases as desired. Placement of the trabecular shunting device within the eye, and release of a glaucoma medication therefrom, can arrest or slow the progression of glaucoma.
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Citations
85 Claims
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1. A trabecular shunting device that is implantable within an eye, said device comprising:
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an inlet section having at least one inlet lumen;
a flow-restricting member within the at least one inlet lumen, said flow-restricting member being configured to prevent at least one component of blood from passing through the flow-restricting member;
an outlet section having a first outlet end and a second outlet end, said outlet section having at least one outlet lumen that opens to at least one of the first and second outlet ends; and
a middle section having at least one middle lumen, said middle section being attached to said outlet section between the first and second outlet ends, said at least one middle lumen being in fluid communication with both said at least one outlet lumen and said at least one inlet lumen;
wherein the device is configured to permit fluid entering said at least one inlet lumen to pass through the flow-restricting member, enter said at least one middle lumen, pass into said at least one outlet lumen, and then exit the outlet section through at least one of said first and second outlet ends. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of treating glaucoma, said method comprising:
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providing at least one pharmaceutical substance incorporated into a trabecular shunting device;
implanting the trabecular shunting device within a trabecular meshwork of an eye such that a first end of the trabecular shunt is positioned in an anterior chamber of the eye while a second end is positioned in a Schlemm'"'"'s canal, wherein the first and second ends of the trabecular shunting device establish a fluid communication between the anterior chamber and the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and
allowing the shunting device to release a quantity of said pharmaceutical substance into the eye. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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48. A method of regulating aqueous humor outflow within an eye, said method comprising:
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creating an incision in a trabecular meshwork of the eye, said incision being substantially parallel with a circumference of a limbus of the eye;
inserting an outlet section of a trabecular shunting device through the incision into Schlemm'"'"'s canal such that the outlet section resides within Schlemm'"'"'s canal while an inlet section of the trabecular shunting device resides in the anterior chamber; and
initiating an outflow of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber through the trabecular shunting device into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.
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62. A method of regulating intraocular pressure within an eye, said method comprising:
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making an incision passing into a trabecular meshwork of said eye, said incision oriented lengthwise substantially parallel with a circumference of a limbus, wherein said incision establishes a fluid communication between an anterior chamber and Schlemm'"'"'s canal of said eye;
implanting a trabecular shunting device through said incision such that an outlet section of the trabecular shunting device resides within Schlemm'"'"'s canal and an inlet section of the trabecular shunting device resides within the anterior chamber; and
establishing a fluid transfer from the anterior chamber through the trabecular shunting device into Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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73. An apparatus for implanting a trabecular shunting device within an eye, said apparatus comprising:
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a syringe portion;
a cannula portion having proximal and distal ends, said distal end of said cannula portion attached to said syringe portion, said cannula portion further comprising a first lumen and at least one irrigating hole, said hole disposed between said proximal and distal ends of the cannula portion, said irrigating hole being in fluid communication with the lumen; and
a holder comprising a second lumen for holding the trabecular shunting device, wherein a distal end of the second lumen opens to said distal end of the cannula portion, and a proximal end of the second lumen is separated from said first lumen of the cannula portion;
wherein said holder holds the trabecular shunting device during implantation of said device within the eye, and said holder releases the trabecular shunting device when a practitioner activates deployment of said device. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76)
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77. A method of implanting a trabecular shunting device within an eye, said method comprising:
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creating a first incision in a cornea on a first side of the eye, said first incision passing through the cornea into an anterior chamber of the eye;
passing an incising device through the first incision and moving a distal end of the incising device across the anterior chamber to a trabecular meshwork residing on a second side of the eye;
using said incising device to create a second incision, said second incision being in the trabecular meshwork, said second incision passing from the anterior chamber through the trabecular meshwork into a Schlemm'"'"'s canal;
inserting said trabecular shunting device into a distal space of a delivery applicator, said delivery applicator comprising a cannula portion having a distal end and a proximal end attached to a syringe portion, said cannula portion having at least one lumen and at least one irrigating hole, said irrigating hole disposed between proximal and distal ends of the cannula portion, wherein said irrigating hole is in fluid communication with the at least one lumen, said distal space comprising a holder that holds the trabecular shunting device during delivery and releases the trabecular shunting device when a practitioner activates deployment of the device;
advancing said cannula portion and said trabecular shunting device through said first incision, across the anterior chamber and into said second incision, wherein an outlet section of the trabecular shunting device is implanted into Schlemm'"'"'s canal while an inlet section of the trabecular shunting device remains in fluid communication with the anterior chamber; and
releasing said trabecular shunting device from said holder of the delivery applicator. - View Dependent Claims (78, 79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. A method of treating glaucoma, said method comprising:
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providing at least one pharmaceutical substance incorporated into a trabecular shunting device at about a middle section of the device;
implanting said trabecular shunting device within a trabecular meshwork of an eye such that said middle section is configured substantially within said trabecular meshwork, said shunting device having a first end positioned in an anterior chamber of said eye while a second end is positioned inside a Schlemm'"'"'s canal, wherein the first and the second ends of said trabecular shunting device establish a fluid communication between said anterior chamber and said Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and
allowing said middle section of said trabecular shunting device to release a quantity of said pharmaceutical substance into said trabecular meshwork. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85)
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Specification