Eye implant for treating glaucoma and method for manufacturing same
First Claim
1. An eye implant for treating glaucoma, comprising:
- a tubular body member forming a conduit having a first end and a second end, said tubular body member defining a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of anchor members, said anchor members integrally formed with said conduit and having a relaxed position in which said anchor members are oriented in a non-aligned condition relative to said tubular body member;
a retaining material coupling the anchor members to the tubular member in an aligned condition;
wherein the retaining material is dissolved or melted while the implant is positioned in the eye to allow the anchor members to move from the aligned condition to the non-aligned condition; and
a cutting edge formed on at least one of said anchor members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An eye implant for treating glaucoma includes a main conduit and a plurality of anchor members formed from a first resilient material. The anchor members are formed such that they are biased to a relaxed condition in a non-aligned position relative to the conduit. To facilitate insertion of the implant into the eye in a minimally invasive surgical procedure, the anchor members are secured together in an aligned condition relative to the conduit with a bonding material. A cutting surface or element is also applied to the anchor members to allow the implant to be inserted directly through the wall of the sclera. The cutting surface is formed of a second material different from the first material. The second material is adapted to dissolve or melt after the implant has been inserted into the eye. Similarly, the bonding material holding the anchor members together in an aligned condition can be made from a dissolveable or heat sensitive material to allow the anchor members to relax to their non-aligned position after insertion into the eye. In the non-aligned position, the anchor members secure the implant to the wall of the sclera. Alternatively, the bonding material holding the anchors together could be made from a material that is ablated away with a laser after the implant has been inserted into the eye.
291 Citations
28 Claims
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1. An eye implant for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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a tubular body member forming a conduit having a first end and a second end, said tubular body member defining a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of anchor members, said anchor members integrally formed with said conduit and having a relaxed position in which said anchor members are oriented in a non-aligned condition relative to said tubular body member;
a retaining material coupling the anchor members to the tubular member in an aligned condition;
wherein the retaining material is dissolved or melted while the implant is positioned in the eye to allow the anchor members to move from the aligned condition to the non-aligned condition; and
a cutting edge formed on at least one of said anchor members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19, 20)
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11. An eye implant for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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a tubular body member forming a conduit having a first end and a second end, said tubular body member defining an axis;
a first and second anchor members, said first and second anchor members integrally formed with said conduit and having a first end and a second end, said first end connected to said tubular body member, said first and second anchor members pre-stressed such that said anchor members, in a relaxed condition, are oriented in a non-aligned position relative to said tubular body member;
a bonding material connecting said first and second anchor members together in an aligned relationship with said conduit to facilitate insertion of said implant, wherein said anchor members are released from said bonding material to allow said anchor members to relax and orient themselves in said non-aligned position relative to said tubular body member after said implant has been installed in an eye; and
a cutting element formed on said first and second anchor members, said cutting element formed of a dissolvable of meltable material, said cutting element facilitating insertion of said implant into said eye and dissolving or melting after said implant has been installed in said eye. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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21. An eye implant for treating glaucoma, comprising:
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a tubular body member forming a conduit having a first end and a second end, said tubular body member defining a longitudinal axis;
a plurality of anchor members, said anchor members comprising hollow tubes integrally formed with said conduit and having a relaxed position in which said anchor members are oriented in a non-aligned condition relative to said tubular body member; and
means for retaining the anchor members in a non-aligned condition for placement into the eye and for allowing the anchor members to move to a non-aligned condition while in the eye. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification