Subretinal implantation device and surgical cannulas for use therewith

• US 20030216747A1
• Filed: 02/14/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Photogenesis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Photogenesis, Inc.
• Inventors: Kaplan, Henry J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,189,245 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/107
• 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: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception

Abstract

An implantation device having a reservoir for holding a solid or semisolid implant and a carrier fluid, wherein the reservoir includes a cannula. The cannula has a tip end and a delivery opening therein both shaped and dimensioned to suit the application. For example, an implant (such as a retinal cell graft) and suitable carrier fluid (such as an aqueous hyaluronic acid solution) can be expressed from the opening into the subretinal space of a recipient eye, provided the cannula is of sufficient length that the tip end can reach the subretinal space while the remainder of the fluid reservoir is external of the eye. Expression of the carrier fluid from the reservoir via the delivery opening expels the implant through the delivery opening. An electromechanically driven plunger apparatus with operator controls is provided in a preferred embodiment.

Claims

1. An implantation device for implanting a solid or semisolid implant into a mammal or human, comprising:

a reservoir for holding an implant and a carrier fluid, wherein said reservoir includes a cannula, said cannula having a tip end and a delivery opening therein both shaped and dimensioned to suit the application, wherein, when said device is used to implant an implant into the subretinal space of a mammalian or human eye, an implant and carrier fluid can be expressed from said delivery opening into the subretinal space of the recipient eye, wherein the cannula is of sufficient length that the tip end can reach the subretinal space while the remainder of the fluid reservoir is external of the eye, wherein expression of the carrier fluid from the reservoir via said delivery opening expels the implant through said delivery opening.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said reservoir further comprises a plunger opening and a plunger travel channel, wherein a plunger may be inserted through, said plunger opening into said plunger travel channel to express fluid in said reservoir.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a plunger at least partially slidably disposed in said plunger travel channel.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said reservoir further comprises a loading channel and a loading channel opening, wherein said loading channel may be accessed via said loading channel opening independently of said plunger opening.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein said reservoir further comprises a loading channel and a loading channel opening, wherein said loading channel may be accessed via said loading channel opening independently of said plunger opening.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said loading channel is operatively connected to said plunger travel channel at a junction point, wherein said plunger may slidably travel through said plunger travel channel towards said cannula sufficiently past said junction point to block fluid flow from said plunger travel into said loading channel.

7. The device of claim 3, further comprising a handpiece that is operatively connectable to said reservoir, wherein said handpiece comprises an electromechanical drive apparatus, wherein said plunger is drivable by said electromechanical drive apparatus.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said drive apparatus further comprises operator controls for controlling forward and reverse motion of said plunger in said plunger travel channel.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising a control unit remotely connected to said drive apparatus, wherein said control unit comprises operator controls and a power supply for said drive apparatus.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said operator controls comprise a footpedal for operating said controls.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a retinal cell graft.

12. The device of claim 6, further comprising a retinal cell graft.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein said plunger is connectable and disconnectable to said electromechanical drive apparatus by a user at the site of use.

14. A method for subretinal or epiretinal implantation of a solid or semisolid implant into a mammal or human eye, comprising the steps of

combining a carrier fluid with a solid or semisolid implant in a reservoir, wherein the reservoir includes a cannula, the cannula having a tip end and a delivery opening therein both shaped and dimensioned to permit the delivery opening to reach sufficiently epiretinally or into the subretinal space of a mammalian or human eye for the desired purpose while the remainder of the fluid reservoir is external of the eye,

inserting the tip end of the cannula sufficiently into a mammalian or human eye that the delivery opening is located at the desired epiretinal or subretinal location while a portion of the reservoir is external of the eye, and expressing the carrier fluid through the delivery opening sufficient to express the implant from the delivery opening into the desired location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the implant is a retinal cell graft, wherein said expression step comprises expressing the graft beneath the retina of the eye.

16. A system for implanting solid or semisolid implants into a mammal or human, comprising:

a plunger,

an electromechanical drive mechanism, said drive mechanism being operatively connectable to said plunger,

a control mechanism and operator controls, said operator controls permitting an operator to operate said drive mechanism to control the speed and direction of movement of said plunger,

said plunger being dimensioned and said drive mechanism driving said plunger at travel speeds sufficient to express fluid from a reservoir containing fluid and a semisolid or solid implant into a desired location in a mammal or human wherein the implant is expressed in the desired location.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a footpedal operated control for controlling said electromechanical drive mechanism.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said system may be used to implant semisolids or solid implants epiretinally or subretinally.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a reservoir for holding an implant and a carrier fluid, wherein said reservoir includes a cannula, said cannula having a tip end and a delivery opening therein both shaped and dimensioned to suit the application, said reservoir further comprising a plunger opening and a plunger travel channel, wherein said plunger may be inserted through said plunger opening into said plunger travel channel to express fluid in said reservoir out of said delivery opening.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said reservoir further comprises a loading channel and a loading channel opening, wherein said loading channel may be accessed via said loading channel opening independently of said plunger opening, wherein said loading channel is operatively connected to said plunger travel channel at a junction point, wherein said plunger may slidably travel through said plunger travel channel towards said cannula sufficiently past said junction point to block fluid flow from said plunger travel into said loading channel.