Active Drainage Systems with Dual-Input Pressure-Driven Valves

• US 20130150779A1
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Field, Leslie A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/9
• 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: F16K 31/126 the fluid acting on a diaphragm, bellows, or the like F16K31/145, F16K31/165, F16K31/365, F16K31/385 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 7/17 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure

Abstract

A pressure-driven valve is disclosed. The valve includes a housing and a flow control portion disposed within the housing. The housing includes a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The flow control portion has a first side subject to fluid flow pressure in a fluid flow channel, and a second side subject to an outlet pressure representative of pressure at the fluid outlet. The flow control portion is deformable to increase and decrease flow through the fluid flow channel based on pressure differentials between the fluid flow pressure, a tube pressure, and the outlet pressure. In some instances, the flow control portion comprises a flow control membrane and a radially-fluctuating pressure tube attached to the periphery of the membrane.

Claims

1. A pressure-driven valve, comprising:

a housing comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and

a flow control portion disposed within the housing, the flow control portion having a first side subject to fluid flow pressure in a fluid flow channel, and having a second side subject to an outlet pressure representative of pressure at the fluid outlet, the flow control portion being deformable to increase and decrease flow through the fluid flow channel based on pressure differentials between the fluid flow pressure, a tube pressure, and the outlet pressure.

2. The valve of claim 1, wherein the flow control portion further comprises:

a flow control membrane; and

a radially-fluctuating pressure tube attached to the periphery of the flow control membrane, the pressure tube comprising a hollow, flexible, curved tube including a closed end and an open end, the pressure tube being filled with fluid conveying the tube pressure, the pressure tube being curved to define a circular space having a first diameter,

wherein the pressure tube is deformable in response to pressure differentials between the outlet pressure and the tube pressure, thereby deforming the fluid flow membrane to increase and decrease flow through the fluid flow channel.

3. The valve of claim 2, wherein the pressure tube is filled with fluid conveying an atmospheric pressure.

4. The valve of claim 3, wherein the flow control portion and the housing are configured to restrict flow when the outlet pressure is substantially higher than the atmospheric pressure.

5. The valve of claim 2, wherein the flow control portion further includes a stiffening element, the stiffening element attached to the flow control membrane on the first side of the flow control portion and configured to shift in response to the deformation of the flow control portion to selectively open and close the valve.

6. The valve of claim 2, wherein the pressure tube is configured to deform in response to the pressure differential between the tube pressure and the outlet pressure, thereby deforming the flow control membrane from a first diameter to a second diameter to affect the size of the fluid flow channel.

7. A pressure-driven valve for implantation in a patient, comprising:

a housing comprising a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a fluid flow channel extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;

a pressure tube disposed within the housing, the pressure tube comprising a hollow, flexible, curved tube including a closed end and an open end, the pressure tube being filled with fluid conveying a tube pressure, the pressure tube being curved to define a circular space having a first diameter; and

a deformable portion attached to the pressure tube, the deformable portion defining a portion of the fluid flow channel and being configured to deform to increase and decrease a size of the fluid flow channel to regulate fluid flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the deformable portion being disposed and arranged to deform as a result of pressure differentials between the tube pressure, a fluid flow channel pressure, and an outlet pressure representative of fluid pressure at the fluid outlet.

8. The valve of claim 7, wherein the deformable portion comprises a flow control membrane attached at its periphery to the pressure tube and disposed within the space, the flow control membrane forming a reference chamber on a first side of the flow control membrane and the fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having the outlet pressure, and wherein deformation of the flow control membrane increases and decreases the size of the fluid flow channel.

9. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control membrane is circumferentially attached to the pressure tube.

10. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control membrane includes corrugations.

11. The valve of claim 8, further including a valve seat positioned within the housing between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the deformable portion selectively engaging the valve seat to affect flow in the fluid flow channel.

12. The valve of claim 11, wherein the valve seat is a boss.

13. The valve of claim 8, wherein the pressure tube is configured to control flow though the fluid flow channel by deforming in response to the pressure differential between the tube pressure and the outlet pressure, thereby deforming the flow control membrane to selectively open and close the fluid flow channel.

14. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control membrane is configured to control the fluid flow channel by deforming in response to the pressure differential between the outlet pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure.

15. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control membrane comprises a flexible, liquid-tight membrane configured to deflect away from a higher pressure toward a lower pressure in the absence of other forces acting on the membrane.

16. The valve of claim 8, wherein the pressure tube is configured to control flow though the fluid flow channel by deforming in response to the pressure differential between the tube pressure and the outlet pressure, thereby deforming the flow control membrane from a first diameter to a second diameter to affect the size of the fluid flow channel.

17. The valve of claim 8, wherein the flow control membrane includes a stiffening element disposed on the second opposing side of the flow control membrane.

18. The valve of claim 17, wherein the stiffening element comprises an annular shape.

19. The valve of claim 17, wherein the pressure tube is configured to control flow though the fluid flow channel by deforming in response to the pressure differential between the tube pressure and the outlet pressure, thereby deforming the flow control membrane to shift the position of the stiffening element relative to the fluid inlet to selectively open and close the fluid flow channel.

20. An IOP control system for implantation in an eye of a patient, comprising:

a drainage tube configured to convey aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye; and

a pressure-driven valve system in fluid communication with the drainage tube, the valve system actuatable in response to pressure differentials and configured to control flow rates of the aqueous humor, the valve system including a first pressure-driven valve and a second pressure-driven valve,

wherein the first pressure-driven valve is configured to control flow rates of the aqueous humor along the drainage tube by shifting in response to the pressure differential between the anterior chamber of the eye and the atmospheric pressure acting on the first valve, and

wherein the second pressure-driven valve comprises a pressure tube attached to the periphery of a flow control membrane, the pressure tube comprising a hollow, flexible, curved tube including a closed end and an open end, the pressure tube being filled with fluid conveying the atmospheric pressure, and

wherein the second pressure-driven valve is configured to control flow rates of aqueous humor along the drainage tube by deforming in response to the pressure differentials between the atmospheric pressure, the pressure in the drainage tube between the first and second valves, and the pressure of the drainage site acting on the second valve.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the pressure-driven valves are arranged in series to operate independently of each other.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the flow control membrane comprises a flexible, liquid-tight membrane configured to deflect away from a higher pressure toward a lower pressure in the absence of other forces acting on the membrane.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the pressure tube is curved to define a circular space having a first diameter and containing the flow control membrane, and wherein the pressure tube is configured to deform in response to the pressure differential between pressure of the drainage site and the atmospheric pressure, thereby deforming the flow control membrane to increase and decrease flow through the second valve.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the second pressure-driven valve further includes a stiffening element attached to the flow control membrane and configured to shift in response to deformation of the flow control membrane to selectively open and close the valve.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the flow control membrane is deformable between the first diameter and a second diameter to selectively open and close the fluid flow channel.

26. A method of regulating IOP by adjusting drainage from an anterior chamber of an eye with a membrane valve, comprising:

directing fluid through a fluid flow passageway extending between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet within the membrane valve; and

modifying the size of the fluid flow channel through deformation of a flow control membrane attached to a hollow, flexible, radially-fluctuating pressure tube as a result of pressure differentials between a tube pressure, a fluid flow channel pressure, and an outlet pressure representative of fluid pressure at the fluid outlet.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the flow control membrane is attached at its periphery to the pressure tube and forms a reference chamber on a first side of the flow control membrane and the fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having the outlet pressure.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein modifying the size of the fluid flow channel comprises deforming the pressure tube in response to the pressure differentials between the tube pressure and the outlet pressure, wherein deformation of the pressure tube causes deformation of the flow control membrane.