SHUNT DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TREATING OCULAR DISORDERS

• US 20180104102A1
• Filed: 11/22/2017
• Published: 04/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Inventors: Lynch, Mary G., Brown, Reay H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,492,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0008 elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0052 T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• 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: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable

Abstract

Shunt devices and a method for continuously decompressing elevated intraocular pressure in eyes affected by glaucoma by diverting excess aqueous humor from the anterior chamber of the eye into Schlemm'"'"'s canal where post-operative patency can be maintained with an indwelling shunt device which surgically connects the canal with the anterior chamber. The shunt devices provide uni- or bi-directional flow of aqueous humor into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

Claims

1. A shunt for implantation within an eye, the shunt comprising:

a proximal end;

a distal end; and

a curved body section disposed between the proximal end and the distal end, the curved body section comprising a first edge disposed on a first side of a longitudinal axis of the curved body section and a second edge disposed on a second side of a longitudinal axis of the curved body section; and

a portal positioned at a location between the proximal end and the distal end along the curved body section,

wherein the portal extends through an entire thickness of the curved body section, and

wherein at least the curved body section is configured to be received circumferentially within a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye.

2. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the portal is configured to open towards the collecting channels of the eye when the shunt is implanted within Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

3. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the curved body section has a pre-formed curvature adapted to approximate a radius of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

4. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the curved body section comprises a flexible material.

5. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the portal is ovoid in shape.

6. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the curved body section comprises a partially-open, trough-like channel extending from the proximal end to the distal end.

7. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the outer cross-sectional dimension of the curved body section is between 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

8. The shunt of claim 1, wherein the length of the curved body section is between 1 mm and 40 mm.

9. An ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye to facilitate the passage of aqueous humor from the anterior chamber to Schlemm'"'"'s canal, the implant comprising:

a body section having a size and shape such that the body section is adapted to be at least partially received within a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal,

wherein the body section comprises an arcuate cross-section along a length of the body section such that a lumen of the body section is not fully enclosed along the length of the body section,

wherein the body section defines an aqueous humor directing channel for directing aqueous humor toward collecting channels of the eye along at least some of the length of the body section.

10. The ocular implant of claim 9, wherein the body section has a curve having a radius which approximates the radius of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

11. The ocular implant of claim 9, wherein the body section is sized and shaped to be at least partially circumferentially retained within a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

12. The ocular implant of claim 9, wherein the body section comprises at least one opening along its length.

13. The ocular implant of claim 12, wherein the at least one opening comprises an ovoid opening.

14. The ocular implant of claim 9, wherein a diameter of the body section is between about 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

15. The ocular implant of claim 9, wherein the implant comprises flexible material.

16. A shunt for implantation within an eye, the shunt comprising:

a body section having an arcuate cross-section adapted to be circumferentially received within a length of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye,

wherein the body section comprises a first edge disposed on a first side of a longitudinal axis of the portion and a second edge disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis of the portion;

wherein a solid, curved surface extends between the first edge and the second edge; and

a portal positioned at a location along the solid, curved surface of the body section and extending through the solid, curved surface.

17. The ocular implant of claim 16, wherein the body section has a curve having a radius which approximates the radius of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

18. The ocular implant of claim 16, wherein the at least one portal comprises an ovoid opening.

19. The ocular implant of claim 16, wherein a diameter of the body section is between about 0.1 mm and 0.5 mm.

20. The ocular implant of claim 16, wherein the implant comprises flexible material.