Inflatable device and method for treating glaucoma

• US 6,524,275 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: GMP Vision Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Reay H., Lynch, Mary G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edgar, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US09/558,557
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 604/93.01, 604/95.04, 604/96.01, 604/264, 604/523, 604/528, 604/537, 604/539
• US Class Current: 604/96.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0008 elliptical or oval
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0052 T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0067 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• 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: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable

Abstract

Catheter devices and methods for treating glaucoma and other eye diseases by expandable dilatation of Schlemm'"'"'s canal and/or direct injection of medications into Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

Claims

1. A catheter device comprising a proximal portion manually controllable by a user, a distal portion sized and shaped for circumferential insertion into a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal, and an inflation supply lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, wherein the distal portion of the inflation supply lumen is expandable and moves between a first position for insertion within Schlemm'"'"'s canal and a second position for expansion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

2. The catheter device of claim 1, further comprising a guiding lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, wherein the guiding lumen contains a steerable guidewire for directing the catheter device into a desired length of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

3. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion has a diameter of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

4. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion has a diameter of about 0.3 mm.

5. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion has a length of about 1.0 to 20.0 mm.

6. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion has a pre-formed curvature having a radius which approximates the radius of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of a human eye.

7. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion has a pre-formed curvature having a radius of between about 3 mm and 10 mm.

8. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the distal portion has a pre-formed curvature having a radius of about 6 mm.

9. A method for the surgical treatment of glaucoma and other diseases, comprising inserting the catheter device of claim 1 into Schlemm'"'"'s canal and expanding the canal by inflating the distal portion of the inflation lumen.

10. A catheter device comprising a proximal portion manually controllable by a user;

a distal portion sized and shaped for circumferential insertion into a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal;

a medicament delivery lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, wherein the medicament delivery lumen has at least one fenestration therein on the distal portion for the delivery of medicaments into Schlemm'"'"'s canal; and

an inflation supply lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, wherein the distal portion of the inflation supply lumen is expandable and moves between a first position for insertion within Schlemm'"'"'s canal and a second position for expansion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

11. The catheter device of claim 10, further comprising a guiding lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, wherein the guiding lumen contains a steerable guidewire for directing the catheter device into a desired length of Schlemm'"'"'s canal.

12. The catheter device of claim 10, wherein the distal portion has a diameter of about 0.1 to 0.5 mm.

13. The catheter device of claim 10, wherein the distal portion has a diameter of about 0.3 mm.

14. The catheter device of claim 10, wherein the distal portion has a length of about 1.0 to 20.0 mm.

15. The catheter device of claim 10, wherein the distal portion has a pre-formed curvature having a radius which approximates the radius of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of a human eye.

16. The catheter device of claim 10, wherein the distal portion has a pre-formed curvature having a radius of between about 3 mm and 10 mm.

17. The catheter device of claim 10, wherein the distal portion has a pre-formed curvature having a radius of about 6 mm.

18. A method for the surgical treatment of glaucoma and other diseases, comprising inserting the catheter device of claim 10 into Schlemm'"'"'s canal and delivering a medicament into the canal through the at least one fenestration in the distal portion of the medicament delivery lumen.