Corneal implant introducer and method of use
First Claim
1. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye in an implanted configuration, the device comprising a body, a member coupled thereto, a guide portion, said guide portion being sized for receiving the corneal implant in its said implanted configuration, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and the member being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel, and a slide extending distally from the guide portion and adapted for insertion into the eye, the slide being configured to expose a portion of the implant when positioned on the slide.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye. The device includes a body, a member coupled thereto, and a guide portion. The body has a distal end and a proximal end. The guide portion is disposed at the distal end of the body and forms a channel. The guide portion is configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and the member is arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel.
308 Citations
30 Claims
- 1. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye in an implanted configuration, the device comprising a body, a member coupled thereto, a guide portion, said guide portion being sized for receiving the corneal implant in its said implanted configuration, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and the member being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel, and a slide extending distally from the guide portion and adapted for insertion into the eye, the slide being configured to expose a portion of the implant when positioned on the slide.
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9. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye in an implanted configuration, the device comprising a body, a member coupled thereto, and a guide portion, said guide portion being sized for receiving the corneal implant in its said implanted configuration, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and the member being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel, the distal end of the ring being normally biased to a closed position to prevent the implant from being inadvertently dispensed from the device, the distal end of the ring being expansible to an open position to allow the implant to pass through an opening in the distal end of the ring.
- 14. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye, the device comprising a body, a guide portion, and a cartridge for storing and retaining a plurality of implants, the cartridge comprising a piston and a lever, the lever being movable between a closed position for retaining the implants within the cartridge, and an open position for releasing one implant from the cartridge, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant and the piston being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned on the guide.
- 16. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye, the device comprising a body, a member coupled thereto, and a guide portion, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and comprising a pair of fingers configured for grasping the implant therebetween, the fingers being movable between an open position for loading and releasing the implant into and from the device, and a closed position for holding the implant, each finger having a longitudinal groove formed therein, the grooves defining the channel when the fingers are in the closed position, and the member being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel.
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19. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye in an implanted configuration, the device comprising a body, a member coupled thereto, and a guide portion, said guide portion being sized for receiving the corneal implant in its said implanted configuration, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and the member being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel, the guide portion comprising a pair of fingers configured for grasping the implant therebetween, the fingers being movable between an open position for loading and releasing the implant into and from the device, and a closed position for holding the implant, the fingers defining the channel when in the closed position, the body comprising a pair of generally parallel arms, the fingers extending from the arms, and further comprising a cam longitudinally slidable between the arms and operable to spread the arms to move the fingers to their open position.
- 21. A device for introducing a corneal implant into the cornea of a human eye in an implanted configuration, the device comprising a body having a distal end and a proximal end, a guide portion disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, a corneal implant laterally supported within the channel in its said implanted configuration, a member coupled to said body such that it can provide axial support to the implant, and a slide extending distally from the guide portion and adapted for insertion into the eye, the slide being configured to expose a portion of the implant when positioned on the slide.
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24. A method for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a mammalian eye in an implanted configuration comprising the steps of:
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making an incision in the eye; providing a corneal implant in a holder in its said implanted configuration; placing the implant directly adjacent to the eye without inserting the holder into the eye; axially forcing the implant into an incision formed in the cornea of the eye while the corneal implant remains in its said implanted configuration and the holder remains adjacent to the eye without insertion of the holder into the eye. - View Dependent Claims (25, 28, 29)
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26. A method for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a mammalian eye comprising the steps of:
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providing a corneal implant in a holder; placing the implant in the holder and sterilizing the holder after placing the implant into the holder; and axially forcing the implant into an incision formed in the cornea of the eye. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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30. A device for introducing a corneal implant into a cornea of a human eye, the device comprising a body, a member coupled thereto, a guide portion, and a slide extending from the distal end of the body and adapted for insertion into an incision formed in the cornea of the eye, at least a portion of the slide being generally planar, said body having a distal end and a proximal end, the guide portion being disposed at the distal end of the body and forming a channel, the guide portion being configured for laterally supporting the implant when positioned in the channel and the member being arranged to axially support the implant when positioned in the channel.
Specification