Devices and methods for glaucoma treatment
First Claim
1. An implant for treating glaucoma, said implant having a longitudinal implant axis, and comprising:
- an outflow portion through which said longitudinal implant axis passes, said outflow portion shaped and sized to be;
(a) introduced into Schlemm'"'"'s canal with said portion of said longitudinal implant axis at an angle to Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and
(b) received within Schlemm'"'"'s canal regardless of a rotational orientation of the outflow portion about said longitudinal implant axis during said introduction; and
an inflow portion configured to permit communication of fluid from the anterior chamber of the eye to the outflow portion.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Intraocular stents and applicators are disclosed for treating glaucoma. The stents are configured to extend between the anterior chamber of the eye and Schlemm'"'"'s canal for enhancing outflow of aqueous from the anterior chamber so as to reduce intraocular pressure. The stents can have features for anchoring the stent into Schlemm'"'"'s canal as well as preventing the walls of Schlemm'"'"'s canal from closing the outlet of the stents. The applicators can be steerable so as to make implantation easier. Additionally, the applicators can be configured to hold a plurality of stents so that multiple stents can be implanted through one incision without removing the applicator from the incision between serial implantations.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An implant for treating glaucoma, said implant having a longitudinal implant axis, and comprising:
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an outflow portion through which said longitudinal implant axis passes, said outflow portion shaped and sized to be;
(a) introduced into Schlemm'"'"'s canal with said portion of said longitudinal implant axis at an angle to Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and
(b) received within Schlemm'"'"'s canal regardless of a rotational orientation of the outflow portion about said longitudinal implant axis during said introduction; and
an inflow portion configured to permit communication of fluid from the anterior chamber of the eye to the outflow portion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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2. An implant for treating glaucoma, comprising:
an outflow portion, sized and shaped to be received within Schlemm'"'"'s canal, said outflow portion comprising;
an outflow portion base having an outflow opening; and
at least one standoff member disposed to space said outflow opening from a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal, such that said outflow opening is unobstructed by said canal wall.
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3. An implant for treating glaucoma, said implant having a longitudinal implant axis and comprising:
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a first portion at a first end of said longitudinal implant axis, said first portion sized and configured to reside in Schlemm'"'"'s canal, such that said first portion has a maximum dimension along a longitudinal axis of Schlemm'"'"'s canal that is not substantially greater than a dimension of the first portion that runs perpendicular to both said longitudinal axis of Schlemm'"'"'s canal and to said longitudinal implant axis; and
a second portion at a second end of said longitudinal implant axis, said second portion configured to provide fluid communication between the anterior chamber and said first portion.
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4. An implant for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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an outflow portion, sized and shaped to be received within Schlemm'"'"'s canal;
an inflow portion in fluid communication with said outflow portion, the inflow portion configured to be disposed in the anterior chamber of the eye; and
a central portion extending between the inflow and outflow portions;
the outflow portion having a diameter that is no more than three times the diameter of the central portion.
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5. An instrument for delivering implants for treating an ophthalmic condition, the instrument comprising:
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an elongate body, said elongate body sized to be introduced into an eye through an incision in the eye;
a plurality of implants positioned in the elongate body; and
said elongate body further comprising an actuator that serially dispenses the implants from the elongate body for implanting in eye tissue. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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15. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location;
wherein said locations are determined from morphological data on collector channel locations.
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27. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location;
wherein said locations are determined by imaging collector channel locations.
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28. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location;
wherein said locations are angularly spaced along Schlemm'"'"'s canal by at least 20 degrees.
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29. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location;
wherein the first and second locations are substantially at collector channels.
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30. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location;
wherein said implants have different flow characteristics.
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31. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant into the posterior segment of the eye; and
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant into the posterior segment of the eye at a second location, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants.
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32. A method of treating an eye condition, the method comprising:
serially dispensing a plurality of preloaded implants from an instrument into eye tissue at a respective plurality of locations within the eye.
Specification