Uveoscleral drainage device
First Claim
1. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye comprising:
- an arcuate elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end;
an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby;
a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head against the forward end of said elongate body, said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body; and
an enclosed conduit having a first end defined on a portion of said insertion head and extending through said elongate body from the forward end to the back end thereof.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye having an elongate body and a conduit for conducting aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to the suprachoroidal space of the eye. The elongate body has a forward end and an insertion head that extends from the forward end. The insertion head defines a shearing edge suitable for cutting eye tissue engage thereby. The forward end and the insertion head of the body define a shoulder surface. The conduit has a first end defined on a portion of a top surface of the insertion head. The conduit also extends through the body from the forward end to a back end thereof. The first end of the conduit is spaced from the shearing edge and, in one example, from the shoulder of the body.
43 Citations
50 Claims
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1. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye comprising:
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an arcuate elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end; an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby; a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head against the forward end of said elongate body, said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body; and an enclosed conduit having a first end defined on a portion of said insertion head and extending through said elongate body from the forward end to the back end thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 34)
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18. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye comprising:
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an arcuate elongate body of a biocompatible material, the elongate body having a forward end and a spaced back end; an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby; a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head against the forward end of said elongate body, said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body; and an enclosed conduit defined on at least a portion of said insertion head and extending through said elongate body from the forward end to the back end thereof. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35)
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36. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye, comprising:
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an arcuate elongate body of biocompatibie material, the elongate body having a longitudinal axis, a forward end, a spaced back end, and a longitudinally extending bore having a proximal end defined in the forward end of the insertion head and a distal end defined in the back end of the elongate body; an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby wherein the proximal end of the longitudinally extending bore is positioned adjacent to a portion of the insertion head; a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head and the forward end of said elongate body, said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body; and a tube of biocompatible material, the tube having a first end and a spaced second end, at least a portion of the tube positioned within the longitudinally extending bore of said elongate body such that the first end of the tube extends through the proximal end of the bore and contacts a portion of a surface of the insertion head, the first end of the tube being spaced from the shoulder surface of said elongate body. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method for lowering eye pressure in an eye composing:
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a. making a first incision in and through the conjunctiva and the sclera at a position posterior to the limbus; b. providing a biocompatible ophthalmic shunt comprising; i. an arcuate elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end; ii. an insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby; iii. a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head and the forward end of said elongate body, wherein said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body and wherein said shoulder surface positions at least a portion of the elongate body to seal the incision; and iv. an enclosed conduit extending, through said elongate body from the forward end to the back end thereof; c. grasping a portion of the elongate body of the shunt; d. disposing the insertion head of the shunt in and through the first incision and into the supraciliary space of the eye; e. inserting at least a portion of the shearing edge of the insertion head of the shunt into and through die anterior chanter angle and into the anterior chamber of the eye so that the first end of the conduit is in fluid communication with the anterior chamber; f. advancing the insertion head anteriorally to seat a surface of the implant adjacent to an interior surface of the supraciliary space of the eye; and g. closing the first incision. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A method for treating glaucoma in an eye comprising:
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a. providing a biocompatible ophthalmic shunt comprising; i. a thin, arcuate elongate body of a biocompatible material, the elongate body having a forward end, a back end; ii. an insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby to form an incision; iii. a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head and the forward end of said elongate body, wherein said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body and wherein said shoulder surface positions at least a portion of the elongate body to seal the incision; and iv. an enclosed conduit extending through said elongate body from the forward end to the back end thereof; b. inserting at least a portion of the shearing edge of the insertion head of the shunt into and through the anterior chamber angle and into the anterior chamber of the eye; c. disposing, the first end of the conduit into fluid communication with the anterior chamber of the eye; d. introducing the insertion head anteriorally to seat the shoulder surface of the implant adjacent an interior surface of the supraciliary space of the eye; e. disposing the back end of the elongate body of the shunt into the suprachoroidal space of the eye so that a second end of the conduit is in fluid communication with the suprachoroidal space; and f. securing the shunt to the eye. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. An ophthalmic shunt implantable in an eye comprising:
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a substantially planar elongate body having a forward end, a spaced back end; an insertion head extending from the forward end of the elongate body, the insertion head having a shearing edge for cutting eye tissue engaged thereby; a shoulder surface defined on said elongate body and formed at a junction of the insertion head against the forward end of said elongate body, said shoulder extending laterally along the forward end of the elongate body; and an enclosed conduit having a first end defined on a portion of said insertion head and extending through said elongate body from the forward end to the back end thereof.
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Specification