METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE

• US 20100057055A1
• Filed: 08/25/2009
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alievio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Camras Vision Inc.
• Inventors: Camras, Nancy Louise, Camras, Carl B., Camras, Lucinda J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,186,274 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

A drainage apparatus is disclosed to reduce intraocular pressure in an eyeball that includes an anterior chamber having aqueous humor disposed therein, a cornea and a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer disposed on an exposed surface of the eyeball and under eyelids, the apparatus comprising an inlet assembly configured to be disposed at the anterior chamber of the eyeball, an outlet assembly configured to be disposed at the external surface of the eyeball, the assembly having a central chamber, a tube extending between the inlet and outlet assemblies and configured to promote fluid communication between the inlet and outlet assemblies, and control means disposed within the outlet assembly for controlling a flow of aqueous humor through the tube from the anterior chamber of the eyeball to the external surface of the eyeball, the control means further comprising a replaceable filter disposed within the central chamber of the outer member to prevent intraocular infection, the filter having a medicinal agent applied thereto for preventing occlusion of the filter or bacterial contamination by inhibiting at least one of the formation of fibrotic membranes, inflammatory membrane, or bacterial adhesions or biofilms, thereby preventing increased of intraocular pressure or infection.

Claims

1. A drainage apparatus to reduce intraocular pressure in an eyeball that includes an anterior chamber having aqueous humor disposed therein, a cornea and a surrounding marginal limbus by which the cornea is continuous with a scleral layer and a conjunctival layer disposed on an exposed surface of the eyeball and under eyelids, said apparatus comprising:

an inlet assembly configured to be disposed at the anterior chamber of the eyeball;

an outlet assembly configured to be disposed at the external surface of the eyeball, said assembly having a central chamber;

a tube extending between said inlet and outlet assemblies and configured to promote fluid communication between said inlet and outlet assemblies; and

control means disposed within said outlet assembly for controlling a flow of aqueous humor through said tube from said anterior chamber of the eyeball to said external surface of the eyeball;

said control means further comprising a replaceable filter disposed within said central chamber of said outer member, said filter having a medicinal agent applied thereto for preventing occlusion or bacterial contamination of the filter by inhibiting at least one of the formation of fibrotic membranes, inflammatory membranes, bacterial adhesions or biofilms, which can lead to increased intraocular pressure or infection.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said outlet assembly comprises inner and outer convex members configured to generally correspond to the external surface of the eyeball, said inner member having a central cavity disposed therein and said outer member having said central chamber and at least one aperture disposed therein, where said central cavity and said central chamber are configured to matingly engage one another.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said medicinal agent is for preventing the formation of fibrosis.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is applied to the filter.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said mitomycin C (MMC) is applied to the filter.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said medicinal agent for preventing inflammatory membrane on the filter further comprises high efficacy steroids.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said steroids are selected from the group consisting of triamcinolone.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said vascular endothelia growth factor (VEGF) are selected from the group consisting of Avastin and/or Lucentis

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said medicinal agent for preventing bacterial and membranous adhesions further comprises heparin.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said medicinal agent for preventing bacterial adhesions coated on the outlet assembly.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said medicinal agent is a tissue plasminogen activator.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said medicinal agent inhibits extracellular matrix formation.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said medicinal agent is a collagenase.