Corneal implants and methods and systems for placement

• US 20060173539A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yichieh Shiuey
• Original Assignee: Yichieh Shiuey
• Inventors: Shiuey, Yichieh
• Application Number:
  US11/341,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173539A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/5.110
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/142 Cornea, e.g. artificial corneae, keratoprostheses or corneal implants for repair of defective corneal tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/145 Corneal inlays, onlays, or lenses for refractive correction
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/148 Implantation instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/16965 Lens includes ultraviolet absorber
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation

Abstract

A system comprising a hollow member is used to deliver a constrained corneal implant into a corneal pocket. The hollow member may be tapered and the system may further include an implant deformation chamber and an axial pusher to advance the implant through the hollow member.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a corneal implant to a cornea, said method comprising:

constraining the implant to a small width configuration; and

advancing the constrained implant laterally into a pocket which has been previously formed in the cornea, wherein the constrained implant assumes an unconstrained configuration within the pocket.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the implant has been constrained within a hollow member further comprising positioning the hollow member adjacent the pocket.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein the implant has an unconstrained width and the hollow member is positioned through an opening to the pocket, wherein the opening has a width which is no greater than one-half the width of the unconstrained implant.

4. A method as in claims 2, wherein constraining comprises placing the implant in its unconstrained configuration in a chamber coupled to the hollow member, rolling or folding the implant to constrain the implant within the chamber, and passing the constrained implant into a hollow passage in the hollow member.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein advancing comprises pushing against the constrained implant to advance the implant out a distal end of the hollow member.

6. A system for delivering corneal implants, said system comprising:

a hollow member having a proximal end and a distal end configured for insertion into a pocket within a cornea and having an axial hollow passage; and

an axial pusher disposed in the hollow axial passage of the hollow member to engage and axially advance a constrained corneal implant through the hollow passage.

7. A system as in claim 6, further comprising a corneal implant constrained within the hollow passage on a distal side of the axial pusher.

8. A system as in claim 6, wherein the axial pusher is tapered in a distal direction.

9. A system as in claim 8, wherein the axial pusher is deformable so that it will reduce in diameter as it is distally advanced through the tapered hollow passage.

10. A system as in claim 6, further comprising an implant deformation chamber coupled to the hollow member.

11. A corneal implant comprising a protruding center optic at least partially surrounded by a rim.

12. A corneal implant as in claim 11, wherein center optic extends anteriorly from the rim.

13. A corneal implant as in claim 11, wherein the center optic extends posteriorly from the implant.

14. A corneal implant as in claim 11, wherein the implant comprises of a material selected from siloxane polymers, acrylic polymers, and collagen polymers.

15. A corneal implant as in claim 11, wherein the implant comprises a copolymer of a polymethacrylic acid and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA/MAA).

16. An implant as in claim 11, wherein the implant is bonded with a material selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, substance P, insulin-like growth factor-1, or peptide sequences such as fibronectin adhesion-promoting peptide (FAP).

17. A corneal implant as in claim 11 in which at least a portion is colored.

18. A corneal implant as in claim 11 in which at least a portion of the implant is a lens.

19. A corneal lens implant as in claim 18, wherein the lens is of a type selected from the group consisting of monofocal, multifocal, Fresnel, diffractive, prismatic, and electromagnetic wave adjustable.

20. A corneal implant as in claim 11 in which the corneal implant contains an ultraviolet filter comprising a benzophenone.

21. A corneal implant as in claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the implant has holes or is porous.

22. A corneal implant comprising at least two pieces that can be assembled within a corneal pocket to form a functioning corneal implant.

23. A corneal implant as in claim 22, wherein the implant is composed of a material selected from siloxane polymers, acrylic polymers, and collagen polymers.

24. A corneal implant as in claim 22, wherein the implant comprises a copolymer of a polymethacrylic acid and hydroxyethyl methacrylate (PHEMA/MAA).

25. An implant as in claim 22, wherein the implant is bonded with a material selected from the group consisting of fibronectin, laminin, substance P, insulin-like growth factor-1, or peptide sequences such as fibronectin adhesion-promoting peptide (FAP).

26. A corneal implant as in claim 22 in which at least a portion is colored.

27. A corneal implant as in claim 22 in which at least a portion of the implant is a lens.

28. A corneal lens implant as in claim 27, wherein the lens is one or more of the following types:

monofocal, multifocal, Fresnel, diffractive, prismatic, and electromagnetic wave adjustable.

29. A corneal implant as in claim 22 in which the corneal implant contains an ultraviolet filter comprising a benzophenone.

30. A corneal implant as in claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the implant has holes or is porous.

31. A method for implanting a corneal implant in a cornea comprising:

introducing a first portion of the prosthesis into a corneal pocket;

introducing at least a second portion of the prosthesis into the corneal pocket; and

assembling said first and at least a second portion of the implant to form a functional corneal implant.