Method for the treatment of retinal detachments
First Claim
1. A method for the treatment of retinal detachments including the steps of:
- inserting into a vitreous cavity of an eye of a patient having a first gel or liquid therein and a retinal tear a sufficient amount of a transparent liquid or gel retina reattachment enhancing material, such that when said patient is in a position which allows said retina reattachment enhancing material to contact the region of said retinal tear, it presses said retinal tear against an underlying layer of tissue so as to effect retinal reattachment over a given period of time;
leaving said retina reattachment enhancing material in said eye for at least one or more days wherein said patient is in said position during at least said period of time; and
,after said retinal tear has become fixedly reattached to said underlying layer of tissue, selectively removing said retina reattachment enhancing material from said eye and replacing said retina reattachment enhancing material with a replacement material which can remain indefinitely in said eye.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One of the aspects of the present invention relates to a method for the treatment of retinal detachments utilizing a transparent liquid or gel retina reattachment enhancing material preferably perfluorotri-n-propylamine for long-term but not permanent replacement in the eye for effecting a retinal reattachment of a retinal tear. A sufficient amount of a gas is first injected into the vitreous cavity of a patient'"'"'s eye having a first gel or liquid material therein and a retinal tear so that the gas expands, compresses, and displaces an amount of the first gel or liquid to provide a space for receipt of a sufficient amount of the retina reattachment enhancing material. Once sufficient space is provided in the vitreous cavity, the retina reattachment enhancing material is injected into the eye. Once the retinal tear is visible and lies flat upon the underlying tissue, the retina is tacked down around the retinal tear so as to form a retinal scar. The enhancing material is left in the eye until the retinal tear is fixedly reattached to the underlying tissue. The enhancing material which is preferably a liquid perfluorocarbon material should not remain indefinitely in the eye and is removed and replaced with a replacement material that can be left in the eye indefinitely. Outpatient procedures are emphasized.
178 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for the treatment of retinal detachments including the steps of:
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inserting into a vitreous cavity of an eye of a patient having a first gel or liquid therein and a retinal tear a sufficient amount of a transparent liquid or gel retina reattachment enhancing material, such that when said patient is in a position which allows said retina reattachment enhancing material to contact the region of said retinal tear, it presses said retinal tear against an underlying layer of tissue so as to effect retinal reattachment over a given period of time; leaving said retina reattachment enhancing material in said eye for at least one or more days wherein said patient is in said position during at least said period of time; and
,after said retinal tear has become fixedly reattached to said underlying layer of tissue, selectively removing said retina reattachment enhancing material from said eye and replacing said retina reattachment enhancing material with a replacement material which can remain indefinitely in said eye. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for the treatment of retinal detachments conducted outside of an operating room, comprising the steps of:
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inserting into a vitreous cavity of an eye of a patient having a retinal tear in an anterior region of said vitreous cavity, said vitreous cavity having a first gel or liquid material therein, a transparent liquid perfluorocarbon material or a derivative thereof, having a specific gravity greater than said first gel or liquid material and being of a sufficient volume such that said liquid perfluorocarbon material will contact and press said retinal tear when said patient is in a position which allows said liquid perfluorocarbon material to contact said region of said retinal tear over at least a given period of time to effect retinal reattachment, said liquid perfluorocarbon material dropping to a bottom portion of said first gel or liquid material and pressing said retinal tear against an underlying layer of tissue adjacent sad vitreous cavity when said patient is in said position; leaving said liquid perfluorocarbon material or said derivative thereof in said eye for one or more days during at least part of which time said patient is in said position for at least said given period of time where said retina will become fixedly reattached to said underlying layer of tissue; and
,after said retina becomes fixedly attached to said underlying layer of tissue, selectively removing said liquid perfluorocarbon material from said eye and replacing it with a material which can remain indefinitely in said eye. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method for the treatment of retinal detachments conducted outside of an operating room comprising the steps of:
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injecting at least once a sufficient amount of a gas into a vitreous cavity of a patient'"'"'s eye, said vitreous cavity having a first gel or liquid material therein and a retinal tear in a given region thereof, such that said gas expands in said vitreous cavity and compresses and displaces a sufficient amount of said first gel or liquid material to provide a space for receipt of a sufficient amount of a transparent liquid or gel retina reattachment enhancing material, so that said retinal tear is reattached without permanent damage to the eye when said retina reattachment enhancing material contacts said retinal tear for a given period of time; leaving said gas in said eye at least for one or more days to provide said contact for said given period of time; injecting said sufficient amount of said retina reattachment enhancing material into said vitreous cavity of said eye and moving said gas from said eye; and
,leaving said retina reattachment enhancing material in said eye or at least said given period of time while said patient is in a given position which allows said retina reattachment enhancing material to contact said region of said retinal tear for at least said given period of time so that said retinal tear becomes fixedly reattached to an underlying tissue. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for the treatment of retinal detachments conducted outside of an operating room, comprising the steps of:
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injecting into a vitreous cavity of a patient'"'"'s eye having a retinal tear and a first liquid or gel material therein a sufficient amount of a derivative of methylcellulose to effect retinal reattachment when said methylcellulose derivative contacts a region of said retinal tear for a given period of time; and
,leaving said derivative of methylcellulose derivative in said eye indefinitely. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification