Hydrogel seton
First Claim
1. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion, said body portion having a cross section which varies from being substantially eliptical to substantially oval, a neck portion extending from said body portion, and a lip portion formed about said neck portion, said seton being made from a biocompatible porous hydrogel material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A seton constructed of a hydrogel material is surgically implanted beneath a limbus-based scleral flap and extending into the anterior chamber of the eye in order to alleviate excessive intraocular pressure. Once implanted, the seton permits migration of aqueous to the area beneath the conjunctiva, thereby reducing the intraocular pressure. The material from which the seton is constructed as a material which is biocompatible with the tissue in the eye such as, for example, a hydrogel material having a water content ranging from approximately 30% to approximately 79%.
282 Citations
38 Claims
- 1. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion, said body portion having a cross section which varies from being substantially eliptical to substantially oval, a neck portion extending from said body portion, and a lip portion formed about said neck portion, said seton being made from a biocompatible porous hydrogel material.
- 5. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion, said body portion having a neck portion extending therefrom, a lip portion formed about said neck portion, and a conduit arranged to permit additional aqueous migration extending through said body portion and said neck portion of said seton, said seton being constructed from a biocompatible porous hydrogel material.
- 8. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion which is substantially triangular in shape and having a cross-section which varies from substantially elliptical to substantially oval, a neck portion extending from one corner of said body portion and a lip portion formed about said neck portion, said seton being made from a biocompatible porous hydrogel material.
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13. A method for reducing excessive intra-ocular pressure, the steps comprising
creating a limbus-based conjunctival flap and scleral flap by making an incision near the junction between the cornea and the sclera, excising a portion of the cornea, Schhwalbe'"'"'s line, and the trabecular meshwork by making incisions into the anterior chamber beneath said flap, inserting a first end of a seton beneath said flap, said seton being made from a biocompatible porous hydrogel material, said first end including a lip portion and a second end including a body portion, said lip portion extending about a narrowed portion which extends from said body portion, said lip portion and said body portion being arranged to inhibit extrusion and extraction of said seton from the eye after said seton is implanted, suturing said flap about said seton such that said seton extends radially from the anterior chamber to the space beneath said flap and said second end extends in part from beneath said sutured flap, and covering said flap with conjectiva.
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19. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising,
a body portion and a lip portion, said body portion having a first end, said first end having a narrowed portion which is arranged for insertion into the anterior chamber of a human eye, said lip portion being formed on said narrowed portion of said first end of said body portion to inhibit the extrusion of said first end of said seton from the eye when said seton is implanted in the eye and said body portion being of a size larger than said narrowed portion to prevent said seton from being drawn into the eye after said seton is implanted into the eye, said body portion and said lip portion being made from a biocompatible material which inhibits the formation of scar tissue to an extent which would close off the aqueous migration path provided by said seton.
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20. A seton for reducing excessive intraocular pressure caused by glaucoma, comprising, a body portion, said body portion being substantially triangular in shape and having a cross section which varies from substantially elliptical to substantially oval, a neck portion extending from said body portion and a lip portion formed about said neck portion at the end of said neck portion farthest from said body portion, said seton being constructed from a biocompatible material which inhibits the formation of scar tissue to an extent which would close off the aqueous migration path provided by said seton.
- 21. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion, said body portion having a cross section which varies from being substantially elliptical to substantially oval, neck portion extending from said body portion, and a lip portion formed about said neck portion, said seton being made from a biocompatible material which inhibits the formation of scar tissue to an extent which would close off the aqueous migration path provided by said seton.
- 25. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion, said body portion having a neck portion extending therefrom, said body portion being of a size larger than said neck portion to prevent said seton from being drawn into the eye after said seton is implanted into the eye, a lip portion formed about said neck portion, and a conduit arranged to permit additional aqueous migration extending through said body portion and said neck portion of said seton, said seton being constructed from a biocompatible material which inhibits the formation of scar tissue to an extent which would close off the aqueous migration path provided by said seton.
- 28. A seton for relieving intraocular pressure comprising a body portion which is substantially triangular in shape and having a cross-section which varies from substantially elliptical to substantially oval, a neck portion extending from one corner of said body portion and a lip portion formed about said neck portion, said seton being made from a biocompatible material which inhibits the formation of scar tissue to an extent which would close off the aqueous migration path.
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33. A method for reducing excessive intraocular pressure, the steps comprising,
creating a limbus-based conjunctival flap and scleral flap by making an incision near the junction between the cornea and the sclera, excising a portion of the cornea, Schwalbe'"'"'s line and the trabecular meshwork by making incisions into the anterior chamber beneath said flap, inserting a first end of a seton beneath said flap, said seton being made from a biocompatible material which inhibits the formation of scar tissue to an extent which would close off the aqueous migration path provided by said seton, said first end including a lip portion and a second end including a body portion said lip portion extending about a narrowed portion which extends from said body portion, said lip portion and said body portion are arranged to inhibit extrusion and extraction of said seton from the eye after said seton is implanted and, suturing said flap about said seton such that said seton extends radially from the anterior chamber to the space beneath said flap and said second end extends in part from beneath said sutured flap, and covering said flap with conjunctiva.
Specification