OCULAR IMPLANT WITH HYDROGEL EXPANSION CAPABILITIES

• US 20120220917A1
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Published: 08/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: Silvestrini, Tom, De Juan, Eugene Jr., Rosenman, Dan
• Granted Patent: US 9,585,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0061 swellable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0087 colour-coded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

An ocular implant includes an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway that provides a fluid pathway between the anterior chamber and the suprachoroidal space of the eye. The implant includes a hydrogel member attached to the elongate member, wherein the hydrogel member is adapted to expand upon implantation of the elongate member in the eye. An attachment attaches the hydrogel member to the elongate member.

Claims

1. An ocular implant, comprising:

a series of struts forming a series of fenestrations, wherein each of the series of struts comprises an outer convex surface and an inner concave surface that collectively form a generally cylindrical elongate body at least partially surrounding a longitudinal internal volume; and

a fluid ingress region communicating with the internal volume and located near an end portion of the elongate body, wherein the fluid ingress region is adapted to be positioned within an anterior chamber of an eye;

wherein fluid from the anterior chamber flows into the ingress region and out of the internal volume through one or more of the series of fenestrations when the elongate body is positioned in the eye.

2. The implant of claim 1, wherein fluid from the anterior chamber flows out of the internal volume through one or more of the series of fenestrations toward the suprachoroidal space when the elongate body is positioned in the eye.

3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the fluid from the anterior chamber comprises aqueous fluid.

4. The implant of claim 1, wherein the series of fenestrations contributes a degree of flexibility to the elongate body.

5. The implant of claim 1, wherein the elongate body extends generally along a curved longitudinal central axis when implanted in the eye.

6. The implant of claim 1, wherein the series of struts are spaced along a major portion of the elongate body.

7. The implant of claim 6, wherein the series of fenestrations comprise adjacent, non-circular openings located between each of the series of struts spaced along the major portion of the elongate body.

8. The implant of claim 1, wherein the series of struts are interconnected.

9. The implant of claim 1, wherein the series of struts are configured to maintain a space within the eye.

10. The implant of claim 1, wherein the elongate body is comprised of a shape-memory material.

11. The implant of claim 10, wherein the shape-memory material is Nitinol.

12. The implant of claim 1, wherein the internal volume is configured to allow fluid to flow laterally across the longitudinal internal volume through one or more of the series of fenestrations.

13. An ocular implant, comprising:

a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end comprising an inlet portion adapted to be positioned within an anterior chamber of an eye, wherein the body comprises a generally cylindrical body wall extending between the proximal and distal ends and comprising a plurality of adjacent, non-circular openings spaced along the body providing a flexibility to the body wall,

wherein when the implant is implanted in the eye, fluid flowing from the anterior chamber into the implant is able to flow out of the implant through any one of the plurality of adjacent, non-circular openings.

14. The implant of claim 13, wherein the plurality of openings are spaced along a major portion of the body.