APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SURGICAL BYPASS OF AQUEOUS HUMOR

• US 20100191103A1
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: iScience Interventional Corporation
• Original Assignee: iScience Interventional Corporation
• Inventors: STAMPER, ROBERT, YAMAMOTO, RONALD K., CONSTON, STANLEY R.
• Application Number:
  US12/720,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191103A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

The invention provides minimally invasive microsurgical tools and methods to form an aqueous humor shunt or bypass for the treatment of glaucoma. The invention enables surgical creation of a tissue tract (7) within the tissues of the eye to directly connect a source of aqueous humor such as the anterior chamber (1), to an ocular vein (4). The tissue tract (7) from the vein (4) may be connected to any source of aqueous humor, including the anterior chamber (1) ), an aqueous collector channel, Schlemm'"'"'s canal (2), or a drainage bleb. Since the aqueous humor passes directly into the venous system, the normal drainage process for aqueous humor is restored. Furthermore, the invention discloses devices and materials that can be implanted in the tissue tract to maintain the tissue space and fluid flow.

Claims

1. An apparatus for creating a tract within the scleral tissues of an eye comprising:

an elongated body portion shaped to create said tract wherein said tract forms a path for flow of aqueous humor into an ocular vein.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said body portion comprises a proximal end and distal end.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said body portion has an outer diameter in the range of 50 to 500 microns.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said body portion comprises a flexible microcannula.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said distal end comprises a mechanical cutting tip.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 where in said distal end comprises an energy source to ablate tissue.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said energy comprises laser light, radio frequency energy, or thermal energy.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 where said distal end is visible by medical imaging.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein medical imaging comprises ultrasound or optical coherence tomography.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said distal end comprises an optical beacon visible under direct observation through scleral tissues.

11. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said body portion comprises an outer sheath and an inner member.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said inner member is removable during use from said outer sheath.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 which additionally comprises a space maintaining material placeable within said tract.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said space maintaining material comprises hyaluronic acid.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said space maintaining material comprises a cellular proliferation inhibitor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said cellular proliferation inhibitor comprises methotrexate, paclitaxel, or sirolimus.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said space maintaining material comprises an anti-thrombotic agent.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said anti-thrombotic agent comprises heparin or tissue plasminogen activator.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said material comprises a stent device.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said device comprises hyaluronic acid.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said device comprises a nickel titanium alloy.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said device is changeable in situ from a first configuration to a second configuration.

23-30. -30. (canceled)