Implantable glaucoma drainage device

• US 20100004635A1
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Lin, Jeffrey Chun-Hui, Tai, Yu-Chong, Chen, Po-Jui
• Granted Patent: US 8,628,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

An implantable glaucoma drainage device (GDD) system is disclosed. The GDD system comprises a microflow control system for controlling intraocular pressure, a protective capillary carrier tube housing the microflow control system, and anchoring arms holding the implanted device in place. The overall GDD size can be in a needle-implantable form factor for minimally invasive implantation. The GDD may be implanted via subconjunctival needle implantation to mimic the normal aqueous humor drainage pathway.

Claims

1. A device for relieving intraocular pressure, comprising:

a microflow control system comprising at least one pressure-sensitive valve, where each valve has a pressure threshold at which it changes from a first configuration to a second configuration, where one of the two configurations is an opened configuration and the other is a closed configuration, such that when in the open configuration fluid is allowed to pass through the valve, and when in the closed configuration fluid is prevented from passing through the valve;

a protective hollow carrier tube having two opened ends though which fluid can pass, where the microflow control system is attached with and fitted inside the protective carrier tube; and

at least one anchoring arm attached with an exterior of the protective carrier tube, the at least one anchoring arm configured to retain the device in a desired position within a patient'"'"'s eye,

wherein the device is configures such that changes in intraocular pressure beyond a prescribed pressure threshold will cause the at least one valve of the device to change configurations, thereby allowing or disallowing fluid drain from the patient'"'"'s eye.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the microflow control system comprises two valves connected with a coupling tube, where one valve is an opened normally-closed valve having a prescribed lower-limit threshold pressure and the other valve is a closed normally-opened valve having a prescribed upper-limit threshold pressure.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein at least one of the ends of the protective hollow carrier tube is slanted to facilitate insertion into a patient'"'"'s tissue.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ends of the protective hollow carrier tube is slanted to facilitate insertion into a patient'"'"'s tissue.

5. A method for fabricating anchoring arms for a drainage device, comprising acts of:

depositing photoresist onto a thermal oxide silicon substrate;

patterning one or more notches into the photoresist;

transferring the pattern of notches onto the thermal oxide layer by an etching process;

etching semi-circular trenches into the silicon wafer through the notches in the oxide layer;

removing the oxide layer;

depositing a bio-compatible material across the substrate and semi-circular trenches as a structure layer;

coating the structure layer with an aluminum layer;

laminating the structure layer with a dry film photoresist;

patterning the dry film photoresist, leaving photoresist over the semi-circular trenches;

removing exposed portions of aluminum with aluminum etchant;

etching exposed portions of the structure layer to form separate structure layer regions;

removing remaining aluminum with aluminum etchant; and

releasing the separate structure layer regions as anchoring arms.

6. An anchoring arm for a drainage device formed by the method of claim 5.

7. A method for testing a drainage device for relieving intraocular pressure, the device having a microflow control system, a protective hollow carrier tube, and at least one anchoring arm, the method comprising acts of:

folding the at least one anchoring arm and inserting the drainage device at least partially into a testing tube;

sealing the drainage device within the testing tube;

connecting the testing tube to a fluid source controlled by a pressure regulator and monitored by a pressure gauge and flow meter;

running a testing fluid at various pressures through the testing tube and into the drainage device,

whereby the drainage device can be tested for proper functioning at desired pressures.