Uveoscleral drainage device
First Claim
1. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye, comprising:
- an elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end, and an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the body having a substantially fusiform cross-sectional shape, the forward end and the insertion head of said body further defining a shoulder surface; and
a conduit having a first end defined on a portion of the top surface of said insertion head and extending through said body from the forward end to the back end thereof, the first end being spaced from the shearing edge and the shoulder surface of said body.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye having an elongate body and a conduit for conducting aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to the suprachoroidal space of the eye. The elongate body has a forward end and an insertion head that extends from the forward end. The insertion head defines a shearing edge suitable for cutting eye tissue engage thereby. The forward end and the insertion head of the body define a shoulder surface. The conduit has a first end defined on a portion of a top surface of the insertion head. The conduit also extends through the body from the forward end to a back end thereof. The first end of the conduit is spaced from the shearing edge and, in one example, from the shoulder of the body.
172 Citations
50 Claims
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1. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye, comprising:
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an elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end, and an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the body having a substantially fusiform cross-sectional shape, the forward end and the insertion head of said body further defining a shoulder surface; and
a conduit having a first end defined on a portion of the top surface of said insertion head and extending through said body from the forward end to the back end thereof, the first end being spaced from the shearing edge and the shoulder surface of said body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye, comprising:
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a thin elongate body of a biocompatible material, the body having a forward end, a spaced back end, and a substantially fusiform cross-sectional shape, said body further comprising an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the shearing edge having a substantially arcuate shape, the forward end and the insertion head of said body further defining a shoulder surface; and
a conduit defined on a portion of the top surface of said insertion head and extending through said body from the forward end to the back end thereof, the conduit having a first end that is spaced from the shearing edge. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye, comprising:
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a thin elongate body of biocompatible material, the body having a longitudinal axis, a forward end, a spaced back end, and a substantially fusiform cross-sectional shape, the body further comprising an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the body defining a longitudinally extending bore, a proximal end of the bore defined in the forward end of the body, the proximal end positioned adjacent a portion of the top surface of the insertion head, the forward end and the insertion head of said body further defining a shoulder surface; and
a tube of biocompatible material, the tube having a first end and a spaced second end, at least a portion of the tube positioned within the bore of said body such that the second end of the tube is adjacent a distal end of the bore of said body and such that the first end of the tube extends through the proximal end of the bore and overlies a portion of the top surface of the insertion head, the first end of the tube being spaced from the shearing edge and the shoulder surface of said body. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye, comprising:
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a thin elongate body of biocompatible material, the body having a longitudinal axis, an upper surface, a forward end, a spaced back end, and an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the upper surface of the body defining a longitudinally extending slit, the forward end and the insertion head of said body further defining a shoulder surface; and
a wicking member having an inlet end and an outlet end, the wicking member constructed and arranged for regulating the flow of aqueous humor from the inlet end to the outlet end and for positioning within at least a portion of the slit of said body and overlying a portion of the top surface of the insertion head, the inlet end of the wicking member being spaced from the shearing edge of said body. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method for lowering eye pressure in an eye, comprising:
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a. making a first incision in and through the conjunctiva and the sclera at a position posterior to the limbus;
b. providing a biocompatible ophthalmic shunt comprising;
i. an elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end, and an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the forward end and the insertion head of said body defining a shoulder surface; and
ii. a conduit having a first end defined on a portion of the top surface of said insertion head and extending through said body from the forward end to the back end thereof, the first end being spaced from the shearing edge and the shoulder surface of said body, c. grasping a portion of the elongate body of the shunt;
d. disposing the insertion head of the shunt in and through the first incision and into the supracilliary space of the eye;
e. inserting at least a portion of the shearing edge of the insertion head of the shunt into and through the anterior chamber angle and into the anterior chamber of the eye so that the first end of the conduit is in fluid communication with the anterior chamber; and
f. suturing the first incision closed. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46)
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47. A method for treating glaucoma in an eye, comprising:
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a. providing a biocompatible ophthalmic shunt comprising;
i. a thin elongate body of a biocompatible material, the body having a forward end, a spaced back end, and a substantially fusiform cross-sectional shape, said body further comprising an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a top surface and defining a shearing edge constructed and arranged for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby, the shearing edge having a substantially arcuate shape, the forward end and the insertion head of said body defining a shoulder surface; and
ii. a conduit defined on a portion of the top surface of said insertion head and extending through said body from the forward end to the back end thereof, the conduit having a first end that is spaced from the shearing edge and the shoulder surface of said body, b. inserting at least a portion of the shearing edge of the insertion head of the shunt into and through the anterior chamber angle and into the anterior chamber of the eye;
c. disposing the first end of the conduit into fluid communication with the anterior chamber of the eye;
d. disposing the back end of the elongate body of the shunt into the suprachoroidal space of the eye so that a second end of the conduit is in fluid communication with the suprachoroidal space; and
d. securing the shunt to the eye by suturing a portion of the elongate body to the eye. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50)
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Specification