METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE TREATMENT OF GLAUCOMA
First Claim
1. A method for treating glaucoma, comprising the steps of:
- exposing the Schlemm'"'"'s canal through an incision in the sclera andoutward bending of a scleral flap thereby providing access to two openings in the Schlemm'"'"'s canal which are, in circumferential direction, located opposite each other;
inserting a catheter through one of the two openings into a lumen of the Schlemm'"'"'s canal;
simultaneously injecting a fluid or gaseous medium into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal through the one opening, wherein the Schlemm'"'"'s canal is expanded;
exiting the catheter from another one of the openings, which at least partially protrudes from the other one of the openings;
detachably disposing an implant at the exiting catheter and inserting the catheter with the implant circumferentially from the other one of the openings through the expanded Schlemm'"'"'s canal until the implant reaches the one opening;
releasing the implant from the catheter and the catheter from the Schlemm'"'"'s canal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and a device for treatment of glaucoma, wherein by means of an elongated catheter provided with a distal portion and a proximal portion, a tube-shaped implant is inserted and released in a Schlemm'"'"'s canal with two opposite openings exposed by an incision and a folded up scleral flap. In a first phase, the distal portion inserted into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal through the first opening, while a fluid or gaseous medium is injected at the same time, and exited through the second opening, which is, in circumferential direction, oppositely located. The implant detachably disposed at the protruding distal portion and, in a second phase, inserted, in circumferential direction, into the expanded Schlemm'"'"'s canal up to the first opening. Subsequently, the distal portion, which protrudes from the first opening, is detached from the implant and, together with the catheter, removed.
46 Citations
36 Claims
-
1. A method for treating glaucoma, comprising the steps of:
-
exposing the Schlemm'"'"'s canal through an incision in the sclera and outward bending of a scleral flap thereby providing access to two openings in the Schlemm'"'"'s canal which are, in circumferential direction, located opposite each other; inserting a catheter through one of the two openings into a lumen of the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; simultaneously injecting a fluid or gaseous medium into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal through the one opening, wherein the Schlemm'"'"'s canal is expanded; exiting the catheter from another one of the openings, which at least partially protrudes from the other one of the openings; detachably disposing an implant at the exiting catheter and inserting the catheter with the implant circumferentially from the other one of the openings through the expanded Schlemm'"'"'s canal until the implant reaches the one opening; releasing the implant from the catheter and the catheter from the Schlemm'"'"'s canal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A system for treating glaucoma, comprising:
-
a catheter having proximal and distal portions; a pressure source connected to the catheter; and a tubular implant insertable into Schlemm'"'"'s canal that has been exposed by an incision to provide access to two openings located opposite each other, said implant provided with spaced-apart recesses and ring members and configured for detachable disposition at the distal portion for release in the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; wherein the distal portion has spaced-apart bores in communication with an interior space of the catheter for injecting a fluid or gaseous medium under pressure from the pressure source into the Schlemm'"'"'s canal and having at least a length which is oriented, in circumferential direction of the Schlemm'"'"'s canal, from one of the two openings to the other of the two openings and to partially protrude from the Schlemm'"'"'s canal; wherein the distal portion has, at its front distal end, a head piece at which the implant is disposed and positively connected. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
Specification