System and method for treating glaucoma
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising the step of:
- providing a drainage flow path from an anterior chamber of an eye to a first drainage location, wherein said drainage flow path allows a flow of at least about 0.15 microliters/minute/mm2/mm-Hg through said drainage flow path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integral conduit (407) in the formed of stepped tubing defines at least part of a drainage flow path (408/408′) that accommodates a flow rate of at least about 0.15 microliters/minute/mm2/mm-Hg out of the anterior chamber (284) of the eye (266). One or more flow modules (415) may be disposed within this drainage flow path (408/048′) and are located exteriorly of the eye (266). Each flow module (415) may be in the form of a filter or a pressure regulator. In one embodiment, one flow module (415) in the form of a filter is used in combination with another flow module (415) in the form of a pressure regulator.
214 Citations
66 Claims
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1. A method for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising the step of:
providing a drainage flow path from an anterior chamber of an eye to a first drainage location, wherein said drainage flow path allows a flow of at least about 0.15 microliters/minute/mm2/mm-Hg through said drainage flow path. - 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, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising the steps of:
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occluding a portion of a conduit that extends from an anterior chamber of an eye to a first drainage location; and
replacing a flow module disposed within said conduit after said occluding step.
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57. A system for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising:
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a conduit comprising a drainage flow path, wherein a first end of said conduit is directed through the eye to fluidly interface with the anterior chamber of the eye when said system is installed, and wherein a second end of said conduit is disposed outside of the anterior chamber when said system is installed; and
means for allowing a flow of at least about 0.15 microliters/minute/mm2/mm-Hg out of said anterior chamber through said drainage flow path.
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58. A system for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising:
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a conduit comprising a drainage flow path;
a first flow module disposed within said drainage flow path; and
a second flow module disposed within said drainage flow path.
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59. A system for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising:
an integral first conduit comprising a drainage flow path, wherein said first conduit comprises first and second conduit sections, wherein said first conduit section comprises a first cross-sectional profile taken perpendicularly to a length dimension of said first conduit section that is smaller than a second cross-sectional profile of said second conduit section taken perpendicularly to a length dimension of said second conduit section, wherein an end of said first conduit section is directed through the eye when said system is installed, and wherein an entirety of said second conduit is disposed exteriorly of the eye when said system is installed.
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60. A system for addressing intraocular pressure within an eye, comprising:
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a conduit comprising a drainage flow path, wherein a first end of said conduit is directed through the eye to fluidly interface with the anterior chamber of the eye when said system is installed, and wherein a second end of said conduit is disposed outside of the anterior chamber when said system is installed;
a MEMS flow module disposed within said conduit, wherein said MEMS flow module comprises a plurality of gaps through which a flow may progress, wherein a size of a largest of said plurality of gaps is no more than about 105% of a size of a smallest of said plurality of gaps.
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- 61. A method for reducing intraocular pressure in an eye, said method comprising providing a drainage path from an anterior chamber to an external location, wherein the drainage path allows the outflow of aqueous fluid at a rate of at least 1.5 microliters/minute in response to an ocular pressure of 10 mm-Hg or higher while preventing the intrusion of substantially all bacteria having a dimension of 0.35 micrometer or larger.
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64. A method for treating glaucoma, said method comprising draining aqueous fluid at a rate of at least 1.5 microliters/minute whenever an intraocular pressure exceeds 10 mm-Hg while substantially completely excluding the intrusion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and larger bacteria.
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65. A system for reducing intraocular pressure in an eye, said system comprising:
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a conduit structure adapted to be implanted from an anterior chamber of an eye to a location external of the eye; and
a filter structure in the conduit structure, said filter structure allowing the outflow of aqueous fluid at a rate of at least 1.5 microliters/minute in response to an ocular pressure of 10 mm-Hg or higher while preventing the intrusion of substantially all bacteria having a dimension of 0.35 micrometer or larger. - View Dependent Claims (66)
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Specification