Intravitreal medicine delivery
First Claim
1. An intravitreal medicine delivery device for delivering medicine to the vitreal cavity of an eye having an eyeball covered by conjunctiva, comprising a reservoir for holding a supply of medicine, the reservoir having a medicine outlet, means for enabling passage of medicine from the outlet into the vitreal cavity of the eye, and means for attaching the device to the eye so that the entire device is implanted under the conjunctiva.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intravitreal medicine delivery device and method are provided and include an implant device through which a wide variety of beneficial medicines including drugs or other pharmacological agents can be introduced into the vitreous cavity over an extended period of time with only a single initial surgery to implant the device. The device and method minimize the surgical incision needed for implantation and avoid future or repeated invasive surgery or procedures. Additional amounts of the initial medicine can readily be introduced or the medication can be varied or changed, as required. Furthermore, the device and method allow the dosage delivered to the vitreous cavity to be device is constructed so as to filter medicines delivered to the cavity and also avoids damage to or interference with other parts of the eye during implantation or during use.
480 Citations
22 Claims
- 1. An intravitreal medicine delivery device for delivering medicine to the vitreal cavity of an eye having an eyeball covered by conjunctiva, comprising a reservoir for holding a supply of medicine, the reservoir having a medicine outlet, means for enabling passage of medicine from the outlet into the vitreal cavity of the eye, and means for attaching the device to the eye so that the entire device is implanted under the conjunctiva.
- 11. A device for delivering medicine into the vitreous cavity of an eye including an eyelid and an eyeball, said eye also having conjunctiva and Tenon'"'"'s capsule covering the eyeball, comprising a housing having a reservoir for holding a supply of medicine, a tube having one end connected to the housing in communication with the reservoir and an opposite end, and attachment members on the housing adapted to be attached to an eyeball so that the housing and both ends of the tube are under the conjunctiva and Tenon'"'"'s capsule whereby the housing and the tube are covered by the conjunctiva and Tenon'"'"'s capsule, said opposite end of the tube being adapted to project through the eyeball into the vitreous cavity, the housing having wall portions surrounding the reservoir, one of said wall portions including a reservoir refiner which faces anteriorly of the eye when the housing is attached to the eyeball and which is then accessible to a refilling instrument, said refiller allowing a refilling instrument to introduce medicine through the conjunctiva and Tenon'"'"'s capsule into the reservoir but preventing medicine from escaping from the reservoir.
-
17. A method of delivering medicine to the vitreous cavity of the eye comprising:
-
establishing a reservoir of medicine on the eyewall and under the conjunctiva, and providing a passageway joining the reservoir and the vitreous cavity and under the conjunctiva and through which medicine can move from the reservoir to the cavity, the entire reservoir and passageway being thereby under the conjunctiva. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
intermittently introducing medicine into the reservoir while the reservoir remains on the eyeball.
-
-
19. The method of claim 18,
wherein the intermittent introduction of medicine involves introducing a quantity of medicine into the reservoir greater than a predetermined single dose thereof, and further enabling such a predetermined dose of medicine to move into the vitreal cavity at selected intervals between said intermittent introductions of medicine into the reservoir. -
20. The method of claim 18 further involving introducing selectively different types of medicines into the reservoir at different times without removing the reservoir from the eyewall.
-
21. The method of claim 17 including restricting passage of medicine from the reservoir into the vitreous cavity while medicine is being introduced into the reservoir.
-
22. The method of claim 17 wherein the reservoir has an injection port thereon, wherein establishing the reservoir involves suturing an intravitreal medicine delivery device which includes the reservoir and the injection port on the eyewall under the conjunctiva and Tenon'"'"'s capsule, said device including a fluid conductor and a pump actuatable from externally of the eye, said conductor having a proximate end connected to the reservoir and a distal end, and wherein providing the passageway further involves inserting the distal end into the vitreal cavity and subsequently actuating said pump from externally of the eye to pump fluid from the reservoir into the vitreal cavity.
Specification