Ophthalmic microsurgical instruments
First Claim
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1. A microcannula based microsurgical device designed to operate within Schlemm'"'"'s Canal of the eye and to treat a controlled amount of adjacent ocular tissue comprising:
- a flexible tubular sheath having an outer diameter of no more than 500 microns, having proximal and distal ends, and configured to fit within Schlemm'"'"'s Canal;
a distal assembly for sealed introduction and removal of materials and tools;
wherein suction is provided through the microcannula sheath during treatment of adjacent tissue.
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Abstract
Ophthalmic microsurgical instruments may be directly inserted into Schlemm'"'"'s Canal to allow controlled treatment or removal of adjacent tissues such as the trabecular meshwork or the juxtacanalicular tissues to affect an increase in aqueous outflow and the reduction of intra-ocular pressure. The instrument allows the directed access to Schlemm'"'"'s Canal by a flexible microcannula (1). The instrument is useful in allowing controlled guidance by the surgeon while viewing through a surgical microscope or by non-invasive medical imaging.
189 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A microcannula based microsurgical device designed to operate within Schlemm'"'"'s Canal of the eye and to treat a controlled amount of adjacent ocular tissue comprising:
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a flexible tubular sheath having an outer diameter of no more than 500 microns, having proximal and distal ends, and configured to fit within Schlemm'"'"'s Canal;
a distal assembly for sealed introduction and removal of materials and tools;
wherein suction is provided through the microcannula sheath during treatment of adjacent tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A microcannula based microsurgical device designed to operate within Schlemm'"'"'s Canal of the eye and to remove a controlled amount of adjacent ocular tissue comprising,
a flexible tubular sheath having an outer diameter of no more than 500 microns, having proximal and distal ends, and configured to fit within Schlemm'"'"'s Canal; -
a distal assembly for sealed introduction and removal of materials and tools;
an inner member with a proximal end and a distal tip sized such that the inner member fits slidably within the sheath, wherein the sheath has one or more openings directed toward an inner radius at the distal end, and the sheath and inner member act to remove adjacent tissue through the one or more openings in the distal end of the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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- 30. A method for treating Schlemm'"'"'s Canal of an eye comprising inserting a flexible microcannula based microsurgical device with an outer diameter of no more than 500 microns into Schlemm'"'"'s Canal and applying suction at a level of at least 4 inches of Hg.
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33. A method for treating Schlemm'"'"'s Canal of an eye comprising the steps of:
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(a) inserting a flexible microcannula with an outer diameter of no more than 350 microns into Schlemm'"'"'s Canal;
(b) injecting a flowable material to expand at least a segment of Schlemm'"'"'s Canal to facilitate microcannula access;
(c) removing the microcannula;
(d) inserting a microcannula based microsurgical device with an outer diameter of no more than 500 microns into Schlemm'"'"'s Canal;
(e) and effecting a modification in the tissues adjacent to Schlemm'"'"'s Canal to increase aqueous outflow. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification