Glaucoma treatment device

• US 4,428,746 A
• Filed: 07/29/1981
• Issued: 01/31/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Antonio Mendez
• Original Assignee: Antonio Mendez
• Inventors: Mendez, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kruter, J. L.
• Application Number:
  US06/288,150
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 24/230.5 AD, 24/230.5 W, 24/261 R, 3/1.5, 3/13, 128/1 R, 128/350 R, 128/303 R, 128/20, 128/130, 128/275, 604/48, 604/49, 604/8, 604/93
• US Class Current: 604/8
• 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: A61L 2430/16 for reconstruction of eye parts, e.g. intraocular lens, cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/16 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/041 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/00 Drainage appliance for wounds or the like , i.e. wound drains, implanted drains negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90; implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 ; middle ear drainage A61F11/202
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 33/12 Homopolymers or copolymers of methyl methacrylate

Abstract

Glaucoma treatment device for surgical implant for the treatment and management of glaucoma. The glaucoma treatment device includes a single continuous length of cylindrical member having two ends substantially in a first plane and angled slightly inwards toward each other, two smaller loops having the small loops substantially in a like second plane at a slight outward angle to the first plane and each outer end of the small loops connected to the two ends, and an elongated large loop with a large end radius in between the two ends, substantially positioned in the first plane and connected to the inner ends of the smaller loops. The cylindrical member can consist of polymethylmethacrylate or like material. The device is surgically implanted in the eye under a partial thickness scleral flap in the newly formed scleral bed, and secures a channel for aqueous humor to flow away from the eye.

Claims

1. Glaucoma treatment device for treating disease of glaucoma in the human eye by surgical implant, said device comprising:

a. means including at least two small geometrical loop means of a small diameter and a large slightly elongated loop in a plane with said two small loop means and connected to said ends of said small loops for positioning within a portion of the eye; and

,

b. means including two substantially aligned parallel members connected to said loop means at an angle for positioning in at least a partial scleral flap of said eye, and connected at an angle to said loop means whereby said device provides a canal between said loop means and said member means thereby providing for discharge of aqueous humor from interior of said eye.

2. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means comprises three small loop means connected to each other and large slightly elongated loops in a plane with said small loop means and connected to ends of said small loops.

3. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 2 wherein comprising two large slightly elongated loops in a plane with said members and connected to ends of small loop means.

4. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means comprise a continuous cylindrical member of continuous length forming said loop means and said members.

5. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 4 wherein said cylindrical member is polymethylmethacrylate.

6. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 5 wherein said cylindrical member is of a diameter in the range of 0.01 to 5.0 millimeters.

7. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 5 wherein said cylindrical member is substantially of a diameter of 0.25 mm.

8. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 5 wherein said loop means substantially are of a height of 1 mm and said member means are substantially of a height of 3 mm and a width of 3.5 mm.

9. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means are at an angle to said member means in the range of less than ninety degrees.

10. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 comprising a third means connecting said first means to said second means.

11. Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means and said member means consist of flexible polymethylmethacrylate material.

12. Glaucoma treatment device for surgical implant in an eye, said device comprising:

a. at least two small loop means on one plane providing a discharge channel from an anterior chamber of said eye; and

,

b. at least one large loop means connecting between said two small loop means and two member means connected to outer ends of said small loop means providing channels for surfacing within sclera of said eye whereby said discharge channel means and said channel surface member means provide for discharge of aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of said eye.

13. Glaucoma treatment device comprising:

a. continuous finite length of a geometrical member, said member including a substantially identical geometrical cross section at each increment of said finite length including two ends in a first plane;

b. at least two small loop means in a second plane at an angle to said first plane and each outer end of said loop means connected to said ends; and

,

c. at least one elongated large loop including a major radius in said first plane and connected between each of said small loop means whereby said small loop means are surgically implanted into an anterior chamber of an eye and said large loop and ends are under a scleral flap or partial scleral flap of said eye thereby securing a channel for discharge of aqueous humor to flow away from said eye for decrease of pressure.

14. Process for management and treatment of glaucoma in an eye with a glaucoma treatment device, said process comprising:

a. dissecting tissue down a plane at corneo-sclera limbus forming a scleral flap slightly larger than a surface channel of an elongated large loop and extending members of said glaucoma treatment device;

b. slitting said flap substantially in center with a narrow slit for engagement over said extending members and elongated large loop of said device;

c. sectioning out a portion of said eye for accepting small loops which protrude into anterior chamber of said eye;

d. positioning the glaucoma treatment device between the scleral flap with the small loops extending into the anterior chamber of the eye and the elongated large loop and extending members positioned in said sclera;

e. suturing the surface portion of the glaucoma treatment device to at least one point to said sclera;

f. suturing said scleral flaps over the surface portion of said device; and

,

g. reconstituting the anterior chamber of the eye with air whereby the glaucoma treatment device is surgically implanted into the anterior chamber thereby securing a channel for aqueous fluid to discharge from the eye in management and treatment of glaucoma.