Ocular Implants

• US 20090082863A1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ivantis Inc.
• Inventors: Schieber, Andrew T., Euteneuer, Charles L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,740,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/6.130
• 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 9/00781 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

Abstract

An ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye. In some embodiments the implant has a body extending in a curved volume whose longitudinal axis forms an arc of a circle, and a plurality of open areas and strut areas formed in the body, the open areas extending over more than 50% of a surface defining the curved volume, the strut areas surrounding the open areas, the body having a diameter of between 0.005 inches and 0.04 inches. The invention also provides a method of treating glaucoma including the steps of supporting tissue forming Schlemm'"'"'s canal in an eye with an implant extending at least partially in the canal along an axial length within the canal; and contacting with the implant less than 50% of the tissue forming the canal along the axial length.

Claims

1. An ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the implant comprising:

a body extending in a curved volume whose longitudinal axis forms an arc of a circle, and

a plurality of open areas and strut areas formed in the body, the open areas extending over more than 50% of a surface defining the curved volume, the strut areas surrounding the open areas,

the body having a diameter of between 0.005 inches and 0.04 inches.

2. The implant of claim 1 wherein the open areas comprise a first longitudinal section extending along the curved volume.

3. The implant of claim 2 wherein the first longitudinal section includes the largest radius portion of the curved volume.

4. The implant of claim 2 wherein the open areas further comprise a plurality of openings formed on a second longitudinal section.

5. The implant of claim 4 further comprising spine sections disposed between the openings formed on the second longitudinal section.

6. The implant of claim 4 wherein the second longitudinal section is opposite the first longitudinal section.

7. The implant of claim 4 wherein the strut areas extend axially and circumferentially around the body from one side of the longitudinal section to the other side of the longitudinal section.

8. The implant of claim 4 wherein the open areas comprises open areas between the strut areas.

9. The implant of claim 1 wherein the implant is formed from shape memory material in a shape approximately equal to the curved volume.

10. The implant of claim 1 wherein material coverage in circular cross-sections perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is less than 50% over greater than 90% of the implant.

11. The implant of claim 1 wherein the implant extends through a 60°

-180°

arc of a circle.

12. The implant of claim 1 further comprising an inlet portion disposed at one end of the body in fluid communication with the body and extending inward from the circle arc.

13. The implant of claim 12 wherein the inlet portion extends at a 90°

angle from a tangent drawn from a connection point of the inlet portion to the body.

14. The implant of claim 12 wherein the inlet portion has a length greater than the diameter of the body.

15. The implant of claim 12 wherein the inlet portion is formed as a coil.

16. The implant of claim 1 further comprising an inlet portion disposed at one end of the body, the inlet having at least one open longitudinal section in fluid communication with the body.

17. The implant of claim 16 wherein the inlet portion extends along the same circle arc as the body.

18. The implant of claim 1 further comprising a blunt tip disposed at one end.

19. The implant of claim 18 further comprising a lumen formed through the blunt tip.

20. The implant of claim 1 further comprising a therapeutic agent deposited on the body.

21. The implant of claim 20 wherein the a therapeutic agent comprises an anti-glaucoma drug.

22. The implant of claim 21 wherein the anti-glaucoma drug comprises a prostaglandin analog.

23. The implant of claim 22 wherein the prostaglandin analog comprises latanprost.

24. A method of treating glaucoma comprising:

supporting tissue forming Schlemm'"'"'s canal in an eye with an implant extending at least partially in the canal along an axial length within the canal; and

contacting with the implant less than 50% of the tissue forming the canal along the axial length.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the implant comprises open areas separated by spine areas along a first longitudinal section, the supporting step comprising orienting the first longitudinal section openings toward a trabecular mesh portion of the canal.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the supporting step further comprises orienting a second longitudinal section of the implant which is at least 90% open opposite to the first longitudinal section within the canal.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the supporting step comprises supporting with the implant tissue extending approximately 60°

-180°

around the canal.

28. The method of claim 24 further comprising providing fluid communication between an anterior chamber and the canal through the implant.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of providing fluid communication comprises engaging trabecular mesh tissue with the implant.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein the supporting step comprises supporting the tissue with the implant such that material coverage of tissue by the implant in cross-sections of the implant perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the canal is less than 50% over greater than 90% of the axial length of the implant.