Implantable ocular pump to reduce intraocular pressure
First Claim
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1. A pump for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the pump comprising:
- an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber;
a chamber having a volume, the chamber fluidly coupled to the inlet, the volume of the chamber being variable between at least first and second volumes; and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the chamber, the outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber.
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Abstract
A trabecular pump is implantable in the eye to reduce intraocular pressure. The pump drains aqueous humor from the anterior chamber into outflow pathways, such as Schlemm'"'"'s canal. A feedback system includes the intraocular pump and a pressure sensor in communication with the pump, for regulating intraocular pressure.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A pump for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the pump comprising:
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an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber;
a chamber having a volume, the chamber fluidly coupled to the inlet, the volume of the chamber being variable between at least first and second volumes; and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the chamber, the outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the apparatus comprising:
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a pump comprising;
an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber;
a chamber having a volume, the chamber fluidly coupled to the inlet, the volume of the chamber being variable between at least first and second volumes, the chamber comprises a tubular conduit and at least a portion of the tubular conduit is positionable to traverse the trabecular meshwork, the tubular conduit comprises a first tubular portion fluidly coupled to the inlet, the first tubular portion having a first fluidic characteristic, and a second tubular portion fluidly coupled to the first tubular portion and fluidly coupled to the outlet, the second tubular portion having a second fluidic characteristic different from the first fluidic characteristic;
an outlet fluidly coupled to the chamber, the outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber; and
an actuator configured to adjust the volume of the chamber and to generate a pressure difference between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion, wherein the pressure difference pumps the aqueous fluid from the inlet, through the tubular conduit, and through the outlet;
a controller electrically coupled to the actuator; and
at least one intraocular pressure sensor electrically coupled to the controller, the intraocular pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a sensed intraocular pressure and to transmit the signal to the controller, the controller configured to respond to the signal by selectively actuating the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the apparatus comprising:
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a pump configured to output the aqueous fluid at a first location, the pump comprising;
an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber;
a chamber having a volume, the chamber fluidly coupled to the inlet, the volume of the chamber being variable between at least first and second volumes; and
an outlet fluidly coupled to the chamber, the outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber; and
at least one implant having an inlet configured to receive aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber and having an outlet configured to output aqueous fluid to a second location different from the first location.
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27. A method of removing aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the method comprising:
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receiving aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber in a first portion of a pump;
outputting the aqueous fluid from a second portion of the pump to a location outside the anterior chamber; and
varying a pump volume fluidly coupled to the first portion and fluidly coupled to the second portion, wherein adjusting the pump volume generates a pressure difference between the first portion and the second portion which pumps aqueous fluid from the first portion to the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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31. A pump for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the pump comprising:
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a tube having an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber and having an outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber, the tube having a wall with inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a flow path between the inlet and the outlet; and
at least one electrode configured to generate an electric field along and generally parallel to at least a portion of the flow path. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the apparatus comprising:
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a pump comprising;
a tube having an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber and having an outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber, the tube having a wall with inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a flow path between the inlet and the outlet; and
at least one electrode configured to generate an electric field along and generally parallel to at least a portion of the flow path;
a controller electrically coupled to the at least one electrode; and
at least one intraocular pressure sensor electrically coupled to the controller, the intraocular pressure sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of the intraocular pressure and to transmit the signal to the controller, the controller configured to respond to the signal by selectively applying a voltage to the at least one electrode. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. An apparatus for transporting aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the apparatus comprising:
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a pump configured to output aqueous fluid at a first location, the pump comprising;
a tube having an inlet configured to receive the aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber and having an outlet configured to output the aqueous fluid to a location outside the anterior chamber, the tube having a wall with inner and outer surfaces, the inner surface defining a flow path between the inlet and the outlet; and
at least one electrode configured to generate an electric field along and generally parallel to at least a portion of the flow path; and
at least one implant having an inlet configured to receive aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber and having an outlet configured to output aqueous fluid to a second location different from the first location.
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43. A method of removing aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber of an eye, the method comprising:
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receiving aqueous fluid from the anterior chamber in a first portion of a pump;
outputting the aqueous fluid from a second portion of the pump to a location outside the anterior chamber; and
transporting aqueous fluid from the first portion along a flow path to the second portion by generating an electric field along at least 10% of the flow path from the first portion to the second portion. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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Specification