INTRAOCULAR SHUNT DEPLOYMENT DEVICES

• US 20120123439A1
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AqueSys, Inc. (Abbvie Incorporated)
• Inventors: Romoda, Laszlo O., Horvath, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,721,702 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• 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

Abstract

The invention generally relates to devices for deploying an intraocular shunt within an eye. In certain embodiments, devices of the invention include a housing, a deployment mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing, and a hollow shaft coupled to the deployment mechanism, in which the shaft is configured to hold an intraocular shunt, and in which rotation of the deployment mechanism results in deployment of the shunt.

Claims

1. A device for deploying an intraocular shunt, the device comprising:

a housing;

a deployment mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing; and

a hollow shaft coupled to the deployment mechanism, wherein the shaft is configured to hold an intraocular shunt;

wherein rotation of the deployment mechanism results in deployment of the shunt.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft is configured to at least partially retract to within the housing.

3. The device according to claim 2, the shaft fully retracts to within the housing.

4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an intraocular shunt that is at least partially disposed within the shaft.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a two stage system.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the first stage is a pusher component and the second stage is a retraction component.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein rotation of the deployment mechanism sequentially engages the pusher component and then the retraction component.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the pusher component pushes the shunt to partially deploy the shunt from within the shaft, and the retraction component retracts the shaft from around the shunt, thereby deploying the shunt.

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises at least one member that limits axial movement of the shaft.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein a distal end of the shaft is beveled.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein an angle of the bevel is such that the bevel is substantially parallel with the conjunctiva of an eye.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow shaft is a needle.

13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a handheld device.

14. The device according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator that provides feedback to an operator as to the state of the deployment mechanism.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator.

16. The device according to claim 1, wherein a distal portion of the housing comprises a sleeve and the hollow shaft is movable within the sleeve.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein a distal end of the sleeve comprises a stopping edge.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the sleeve is visible within the eye.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the sleeve provides a visual preview for an operator as to placement of a proximal portion of the shunt within an anterior chamber of an eye.

20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the sleeve provides a visual reference point that may be used by an operator to hold the device steady during deployment of the shunt from the device.

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is disposable.

22. A device for deploying an intraocular shunt, the device comprising:

a housing;

a deployment mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a two stage system; and

a hollow shaft coupled to the deployment mechanism, wherein the shaft is configured to hold an intraocular shunt.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein the shaft is configured to at least partially retract to within the housing.

24. The device according to claim 23, the shaft fully retracts to within the housing.

25. The device according to claim 22, further comprising an intraocular shunt that is at least partially disposed within the shaft.

26. The device according to claim 22, wherein the first stage is a pusher component and the second stage is a retraction component.

27. The device according to claim 26, wherein rotation of the deployment mechanism sequentially engages the pusher component and then the retraction component.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein the pusher component pushes the shunt to partially deploy the shunt from within the shaft, and the retraction component retracts the shaft from around the shunt, thereby deploying the shunt.

29. The device according to claim 27, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises at least one member that limits axial movement of the shaft.

30. The device according to claim 22, wherein a distal end of the shaft is beveled.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein an angle of the bevel is such that the bevel is substantially parallel with the conjunctiva of an eye.

32. The device according to claim 22, wherein the hollow shaft is a needle.

33. The device according to claim 22, wherein the device is a handheld device.

34. The device according to claim 22, further comprising an indicator that provides feedback to an operator as to the state of the deployment mechanism.

35. The device according to claim 34, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator.

36. The device according to claim 22, wherein a distal portion of the housing comprises a sleeve and the hollow shaft is movable within the sleeve.

37. The device according to claim 35, wherein a distal end of the sleeve comprises a stopping edge.

38. The device according to claim 36, wherein the sleeve is visible within the eye.

39. The device according to claim 38, wherein the sleeve provides a visual preview for an operator as to placement of a proximal portion of the shunt within an anterior chamber of an eye.

40. The device according to claim 38, wherein the sleeve provides a visual reference point that may be used by an operator to hold the device steady during deployment of the shunt from the device.

41. The device according to claim 22, wherein the device is disposable.

42. A device for deploying an intraocular shunt, the device comprising:

a housing;

a deployment mechanism at least partially disposed within the housing; and

a hollow shaft coupled inside the housing to the deployment mechanism, wherein the shaft is configured to hold an intraocular shunt;

wherein the device comprises an insertion configuration and a deployment configuration and the deployment configuration comprises a proximal portion of the shaft being at least partially retracted to within the housing.

43. The device according to claim 42, the shaft fully retracts to within the housing.

44. The device according to claim 42, further comprising an intraocular shunt that is at least partially disposed within the shaft.

45. The device according to claim 42, wherein the insertion configuration comprises a distal portion of the shaft being disposed within the housing and a proximal portion of the shaft extending beyond the housing.

46. The device according to claim 42, wherein the deployment mechanism comprises a two stage system.

47. The device according to claim 46, wherein the first stage is a pusher component and the second stage is a retraction component.

48. The device according to claim 47, wherein rotation of the deployment mechanism sequentially engages the pusher component and then the retraction component.

49. The device according to claim 48, wherein the pusher component pushes the shunt to partially deploy the shunt from within the shaft, and the retraction component retracts the shaft from around the shunt, thereby deploying the shunt.

50. The device according to claim 46, wherein the deployment mechanism further comprises at least one member that limits axial movement of the shaft.

51. The device according to claim 42, wherein a distal end of the shaft is beveled.

52. The device according to claim 51, wherein an angle of the bevel is such that the bevel is substantially parallel with the conjunctiva of an eye.

53. The device according to claim 42, wherein the hollow shaft is a needle.

54. The device according to claim 42, wherein the device is a handheld device.

55. The device according to claim 42, further comprising an indicator that provides feedback to an operator as to the state of the deployment mechanism.

56. The device according to claim 55, wherein the indicator is a visual indicator.

57. The device according to claim 42, wherein a distal portion of the housing comprises a sleeve and the hollow shaft is movable within the sleeve.

58. The device according to claim 57, wherein a distal end of the sleeve comprises a stopping edge.

59. The device according to claim 57, wherein the sleeve is visible within the eye.

60. The device according to claim 59, wherein the sleeve provides a visual preview for an operator as to placement of a proximal portion of the shunt within an anterior chamber of an eye.

61. The device according to claim 59, wherein the sleeve provides a visual reference point that may be used by an operator to hold the device steady during deployment of the shunt from the device.

62. The device according to claim 42, wherein the device is disposable.