FLUID INFUSION METHODS FOR OCULAR DISORDER TREATMENT

• US 20080183121A2
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Inventors: Tu, Hosheng, Haffner, David, Smedley, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 8,617,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor

Abstract

Methods of treating ocular disorders are disclosed, such as a method that includes inserting an implant in eye tissue, using a delivery instrument, such that an inlet portion of the implant is in an anterior chamber of an eye and an outlet portion of the implant is in a physiological outflow pathway; removing the delivery instrument from the eye without removing the implant; and conducting fluid comprising a therapeutic substance through the implant and into the physiological outflow pathway. Another method includes inserting an instrument into a physiologic outflow pathway through which aqueous humor drains from an anterior chamber of an eye; separating first and second walls of tissues which comprise the physiologic outflow pathway by injecting a fluid comprising a drug from the instrument while the instrument remains in the physiologic outflow pathway; and withdrawing the instrument following the injection with said fluid remaining within the eye such that the drug has a therapeutic effect on the eye.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising:

using a delivery instrument to insert an implant in eye tissue such that an inlet portion of the implant is in an anterior chamber of an eye and an outlet portion of the implant is in a physiological outflow pathway;

removing the delivery instrument from the eye without removing the implant; and

conducting fluid comprising a therapeutic substance through the implant and into the physiological outflow pathway.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein conducting fluid comprises infusing the therapeutic substance into the inlet portion of the implant.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein conducting fluid comprises conducting the fluid comprising the therapeutic substance from the inlet portion of the implant to the outlet portion of the implant.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the fluid travels through the anterior chamber of the eye to the implant.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the fluid travels through a delivery lumen to the implant.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the delivery lumen is in fluid communication with a lumen of the implant.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the delivery lumen is coupled to the lumen of the implant.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the physiological outflow pathway comprises an aqueous pathway.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the physiological outflow pathway comprises Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the eye tissue comprises trabecular meshwork.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the therapeutic substance is selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical, a gene, a growth factor, and an enzyme.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the therapeutic substance is selected from the group consisting of an antiglaucoma drug, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, a TGF-beta compound, and an antibiotic.

33. A method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising:

inserting an implant through an incision in an eye;

positioning the implant in the eye such that an inlet portion of the implant is in an anterior chamber of the eye and an outlet portion of the implant is in a physiological outflow pathway with the inlet an outlet portions being in fluid communication;

providing a delivery lumen such that the delivery lumen is in fluid communication with the implant; and

infusing a fluid external to the eye through the delivery lumen such that the fluid flows from the inlet portion of the implant to the outlet portion of the implant and into the physiological outflow pathway.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the method further comprises using a delivery instrument to transport the implant.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the implant is transported through eye tissue.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the implant is transported through the anterior chamber of the eye.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein providing a delivery lumen comprises coupling the delivery lumen to the inlet portion of the implant.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein providing a delivery lumen comprises coupling the delivery lumen to a lumen of the implant such that the lumens are in fluid communication.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the fluid comprises a drug.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein the fluid comprises a therapeutic agent.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein the fluid comprises a therapeutic substance selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical, a gene, a growth factor, and an enzyme.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the fluid comprises a therapeutic substance selected from the group consisting of an antiglaucoma drug, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, a TGF-beta compound, and an antibiotic.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein the physiological outflow pathway comprises an aqueous pathway.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the physiological outflow pathway comprises Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

45. A method of treating an ocular disorder, comprising:

inserting an instrument into a physiologic outflow pathway through which aqueous humor drains from an anterior chamber of an eye;

separating first and second walls of tissues which comprise the physiologic outflow pathway by injecting a fluid comprising a drug from the instrument while the instrument remains in the physiologic outflow pathway; and

withdrawing the instrument following the injection with said fluid remaining within the eye such that the drug has a therapeutic effect on the eye.

46. The method of claim 45 additionally comprising inserting the instrument into the anterior chamber of the eye and advancing the instrument through eye tissue separating the anterior chamber from the physiologic outflow pathway.

47. The method of claim 45 additionally comprising contacting scleral tissue with the instrument before separation.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein at least one of the separated tissues is scleral tissue.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the fluid comprises a therapeutic substance selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical, a gene, a growth factor, and an enzyme.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the fluid comprises a therapeutic substance selected from the group consisting of an antiglaucoma drug, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, a TGF-beta compound, and an antibiotic.