SHUNT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TREATING OCULAR DISORDERS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, of maintaining an opening in a trabecular meshwork of a patient'"'"'s eye to conduct fluid from an anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, comprising:
- positioning an intraocular implant through an opening in the trabecular meshwork of the eye, the implant having a proximal portion configured to reside in the anterior chamber of the eye, a distal portion configured to reside in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, a middle portion having an outer cross-sectional dimension that is less than a cross-sectional dimension of the distal portion, and a passageway extending from a proximal end of the implant to a distal end of the implant; and
conducting fluid, through the passageway, from the proximal end of the implant to the distal end of the implant, such that fluid flows from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal through the implant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Shunt devices and a method for continuously decompressing elevated intraocular pressure in eyes affected by glaucoma by diverting excess aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eye into Schlemm'"'"'s canal where post-operative patency can be maintained with an indwelling shunt device which surgically connects the canal with the anterior chamber. The shunt devices provide uni- or bi-directional flow of aqueous humor into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.
146 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method, of maintaining an opening in a trabecular meshwork of a patient'"'"'s eye to conduct fluid from an anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, comprising:
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positioning an intraocular implant through an opening in the trabecular meshwork of the eye, the implant having a proximal portion configured to reside in the anterior chamber of the eye, a distal portion configured to reside in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, a middle portion having an outer cross-sectional dimension that is less than a cross-sectional dimension of the distal portion, and a passageway extending from a proximal end of the implant to a distal end of the implant; and conducting fluid, through the passageway, from the proximal end of the implant to the distal end of the implant, such that fluid flows from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal through the implant. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An intraocular implant, comprising an elongate body, the elongate body comprising:
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a proximal portion, sized and shaped to reside in an anterior chamber of an eye; a distal portion, sized and shaped to reside in a natural aqueous outflow space of the eye; a middle portion, extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, the middle portion sized and shaped to extend through a trabecular meshwork of an eye when the proximal portion resides in the anterior chamber and the distal portion resides in the natural aqueous outflow space, the middle portion having a substantially uniform outer cross-sectional dimension; and a substantially straight passageway, extending through the elongate body between a proximal end and a distal end of the elongate body, the passageway being configured such that when the implant is positioned in the eye, the passageway conducts fluid from the anterior chamber, through the implant, and to the natural aqueous outflow space. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
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7. An intraocular implant, comprising:
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a proximal portion, sized and shaped to reside in an anterior chamber of an eye; a distal portion, sized and shaped to reside in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye; a middle portion, sized and shaped to extend through a trabecular meshwork of the eye when the proximal portion resides in the anterior chamber and the distal portion resides in Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and wherein, when the implant is positioned within the eye, an outer cross-sectional dimension of the distal portion is greater than an outer cross-sectional dimension of the middle portion; and wherein the implant is configured to conduct fluid from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal when the implant is positioned within the eye. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method, of maintaining an opening in a trabecular meshwork of a patient'"'"'s eye to conduct fluid from an anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, comprising:
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positioning an implant through an incision in the trabecular meshwork of the eye, the implant having a proximal portion having a terminal aspect and an intermediate aspect, the terminal aspect sized and shaped to be received in the anterior chamber of the eye, a distal portion sized and shaped to be received in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye, the intermediate aspect of the proximal portion having an outer cross-sectional dimension that is less than a cross-sectional dimension of the distal portion, and an aqueous humor directing channel extending from a proximal end of the implant to a distal end of the implant; and conducting fluid, through the aqueous humor directing channel, from the proximal end of the implant to the distal end of the implant, such that fluid flows from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal through the implant. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. An implant, comprising a body, the elongate body comprising:
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a distal portion, sized and shaped to be received in a natural aqueous outflow space of the eye; a proximal portion having a terminal aspect and an intermediate aspect, the terminal aspect sized and shaped to be received in an anterior chamber of an eye, the intermediate aspect of the proximal portion extending from a terminal aspect of the proximal portion to the distal portion, the intermediate aspect sized and shaped to traverse a trabecular meshwork of an eye when the terminal aspect of the proximal portion resides in the anterior chamber and the distal portion resides in the natural aqueous outflow space, the intermediate aspect having a substantially uniform outer cross-sectional dimension; and a substantially straight lumen, extending through the elongate body between a proximal end and a distal end of the body, the lumen being configured such that when the implant is positioned in the eye, the lumen conducts fluid from the anterior chamber, through the implant, and to the natural aqueous outflow space. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An implant, comprising:
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a distal portion, sized and shaped to be received in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye; and a proximal portion having a terminal aspect and an intermediate aspect, the terminal aspect sized and shaped to be received in an anterior chamber of an eye, the intermediate aspect sized and shaped to traverse a trabecular meshwork of the eye when the terminal aspect of the proximal portion resides in the anterior chamber and the distal portion resides in Schlemm'"'"'s canal; wherein, when the implant is positioned within the eye, an outer cross-sectional dimension of the distal portion is greater than an outer cross-sectional dimension of the intermediate aspect of the proximal portion; and wherein the implant is configured to conduct fluid from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal when the implant is positioned within the eye. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification