Coil implant for glaucoma treatment

• US 20040254520A1
• Filed: 06/02/2004
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Inventors: Porteous, Eric, Tu, Hosheng
• Application Number:
  US10/860,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254520A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/826 more than one stent being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9583 Means for holding the stent on the balloon, e.g. using protrusions, adhesives or an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9665 with additional retaining means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

Systems and methods for delivering a coiled implant into an eye are disclosed. A method of forming an implant within the eye can include introducing a distal end portion of an elongate tube into said eye; passing a substantially straight, uncoiled wire through the tube; and forming a coiled implant as the wire emerges from the distal end portion of the tube, while the distal end portion is disposed in the eye.

Claims

1. A method of treating glaucoma, comprising:

introducing an implant material through an opening in an eye;

modifying a configuration of the implant material within the eye to form an implant having a different configuration;

positioning the implant to enhance drainage from the anterior chamber of the eye to Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein the implant has a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the opening.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the modifying comprises converting a substantially straight wire into a coiled wire.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein implant material comprises a shape memory material.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein the positioning comprises placing the implant such that an inflow opening of the implant is in the anterior chamber of the eye, and an outflow portion of the implant is in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye.

6. A method of forming an implant within an eye, the method comprising:

introducing a distal end portion of an elongate tube into said eye;

passing a substantially straight, uncoiled wire through the tube; and

forming a coiled implant as the wire emerges from the distal end portion of the tube, while the distal end portion is disposed in the eye.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the implant comprises a shape memory material.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising positioning the coiled implant to enhance drainage from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

9. A method for treating glaucoma, comprising surgically placing an implant comprising a wire coil in at least one of Schlemm'"'"'s canal and the trabecular meshwork of an eye.

10. The method in claim 9, further comprising positioning said implant to extend from the anterior chamber of the eye through the trabecular meshwork into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

11. A system for delivering an implant within an eye of a mammal, the system comprising:

an elongate tube having a distal end portion configured for insertion into said eye;

a substantially straight, uncoiled wire, sized to pass through the tube, said wire coiling upon emerging from the distal end portion of the tube to form a coiled implant within said eye.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the wire comprises a shape memory material, said wire having a shape memory corresponding to said coiled implant.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein an austenite temperature of the shape memory material is less than body temperature of the mammal.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the tube has an inner diameter that is not substantially greater than an outer diameter of the wire.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the substantially straight uncoiled wire is about 1-3 centimeters in length.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the tube is substantially rigid.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the distal end portion of the tube has an outer diameter of no more than 200 μ

m.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the distal end portion of the tube has an outer diameter of no more than 150 μ

m.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the distal end portion of the tube has an outer diameter of no more than 100 μ

m.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the distal end portion of the tube has an outer diameter of no more than 50 μ

m.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the coiled implant is about 100-200 μ

m in diameter.

22. The system in claim 11, wherein the coiled implant has an angulation along its long axis.

23. The system in claim 11, wherein the coiled implant is sized to extend from Schlemm'"'"'s canal to the anterior chamber.

24. The system in claim 11, further comprising a plurality of coil windings of the coiled implant, wherein at least two windings of said plurality of coil windings are substantially in contact with each other.