APPARATUS FOR REDUCING PRESSURE IN AN ORGAN

• US 20100121248A1
• Filed: 11/17/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Trip, Roelof, Mufson, Daniel, Mantri, Surag, McCrea, James, Yang, Ying, Cringle, Stephen, Anderson, Cory, Nguyen, Hoang Van, Su, Er-Ning, Tan, Colin, Yu, Dao-Yi
• Application Number:
  US12/620,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20100121248A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• 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: A61L 31/045 Gelatin
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/008 pre-shaped, for use in the urethral or ureteral tract

Abstract

Methods, system and apparatus for relieving pressure in an organ such as, but not limited to, the eye are disclosed. The method includes implanting a bioabsorbable channel into the selected area of the organ using a delivery apparatus.

Claims

1. An implantable channel comprising;

a body configured to be implanted in a patient'"'"'s eye, the body comprising;

an inlet end, configured to reside, after implantation in the patient'"'"'s eye, in an anterior chamber of the eye;

an outlet end, configured to reside, after implantation in the patient'"'"'s eye, in a subconjunctival space of the eye; and

an interior flow path extending between the inlet end and the outlet end of the body;

wherein the body comprises a cross-linked gelatin and has an expandable outer diameter; and

wherein the interior flow path comprises an interior diameter of from approximately 50 microns to approximately 250 microns.

2. The channel of claim 1, wherein the interior diameter does not decrease when said outer diameter is dynamically expanded.

3. The channel of claim 2, wherein said outer diameter is from approximately 200 microns to approximately 360 microns when expanded.

4. The channel of claim 1, wherein said channel, when implanted in the eye, stimulates development of drainage structures in the eye.

5. The channel of claim 4, wherein said drainage structures comprise lymphatic vessels.

6. The channel of claim 4, wherein said drainage structures comprise veins.

7. The channel of claim 1, wherein said body comprises a total length, from the inlet end to the outlet end, of from approximately 2 millimeters to approximately 8 millimeters.

8. The channel of claim 7, wherein the total length is approximately 6 millimeters.

9. The channel of claim 1, wherein said interior flow path is configured to provide a flow rate through the body of from approximately 1 microliter per minute to approximately 3 microliters per minute.

10. The channel of claim 1, wherein said interior flow path is configured to provide a flow rate through the body of approximately 2 microliters per minute.

11. The channel of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a wall thickness, from an interior surface of the interior flow path to an outer surface of the body, of from 30 microns to 70 microns.

12. The channel of claim 1, wherein said body is tapered.

13. The channel of claim 1, wherein said body comprises an outer surface having at least one retainer for securing the body within eye tissue.

14. The channel of claim 13, wherein said retainer comprises a barb.

15. The channel of claim 13, wherein said retainer comprises a deployable tab.

16. The channel of claim 15, wherein said deployable tab expands in a direction away from said outer surface when said channel is exposed to an aqueous environment.

17. The channel of claim 1, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is bioabsorbable.

18. The channel of claim 17, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is configured to be resorbed by the eye within 30 days and 2 years after implantation within the eye.

19. The channel of claim 17, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is configured to be resorbed by the eye within 4 to 7 months after implantation within the eye.

20. An implantable channel, for transmitting fluid from an organ of a patient, the channel comprising;

a body configured to be implanted into a patient, the body comprising;

an inlet end, configured to receive fluid, at a first end of the body;

an outlet end at a second end of the body; and

an interior flow path extending between, and in communication with, the inlet end and the outlet end of the body;

wherein the body comprises an expandable outer diameter, and the interior flow path has an interior diameter that does not decrease as the outer diameter dynamically expands; and

wherein the interior diameter is from approximately 50 microns to approximately 250 microns.

21. The channel of claim 20, wherein said outer diameter, when expanded, is from approximately 200 microns to approximately 360 microns.

22. The channel of claim 20, wherein said body comprises a total length, from the inlet end to the outlet end, of from approximately 2 millimeters to approximately 8 millimeters.

23. The channel of claim 22, wherein the total length is approximately 6 millimeters.

24. The channel of claim 20, wherein said interior flow path is configured to provide a flow rate through the body of from approximately 1 microliter per minute to approximately 3 microliters per minute.

25. The channel of claim 20, wherein the body comprises a wall thickness, from an interior surface of the interior flow path to an outer surface of the body, of from 30 microns to 70 microns.

26. The channel of claim 20, wherein said body comprises a deployable tab that expands in a direction away from said outer surface when said channel is exposed to an aqueous environment.

27. The channel of claim 20, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is bioabsorbable.

28. An implantable channel, for draining fluid from an anterior chamber of an eye, the channel comprising;

a body configured to be implanted in a patient'"'"'s eye, the body comprising;

an inlet end, configured to reside, after implantation in the patient'"'"'s eye, in an anterior chamber of the eye;

an outlet end, configured to reside, after implantation in the patient'"'"'s eye, in a natural space of the eye; and

an interior flow path extending between the inlet end and the outlet end of the body;

wherein the body comprises an expandable outer diameter; and

wherein the interior flow path comprises an interior diameter of from approximately 50 microns to approximately 250 microns, and wherein the interior diameter does not decrease when said outer diameter is dynamically expanded.

29. The channel of claim 28, wherein said outer diameter is from approximately 200 microns to approximately 360 microns when expanded.

30. The channel of claim 28, wherein said body comprises a total length, from the inlet end to the outlet end, of from approximately 2 millimeters to approximately 8 millimeters.

31. The channel of claim 30, wherein the total length is approximately 6 millimeters.

32. The channel of claim 28, wherein said interior flow path is configured to provide a flow rate through the body of from approximately 1 microliter per minute to approximately 3 microliters per minute.

33. The channel of claim 28, wherein said interior flow path is configured to provide a flow rate through the body of approximately 2 microliters per minute.

34. The channel of claim 28, wherein the body comprises a wall thickness, from an interior surface of the interior flow path to an outer surface of the body, of from 30 microns to 70 microns.

35. The channel of claim 28, wherein said body comprises a deployable tab that expands in a direction away from said outer surface when said channel is exposed to an aqueous environment.

36. The channel of claim 28, wherein the body further comprises a cross-linked gelatin.

37. The channel of claim 28, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is bioabsorbable.

38. The channel of claim 37, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is configured to be resorbed by the eye within 30 days and 2 years after implantation within the eye.

39. The channel of claim 37, wherein the cross-linked gelatin is configured to be resorbed by the eye within 4 to 7 months after implantation within the eye.