Methods for treating meibomian gland dysfunction employing fluid jet

• US 7,833,205 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 11/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TearScience Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: TearScience Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Roe, Steven, Grenon, Stephen M., Korb, Donald R., Paul, Lyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva; Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Treyger; Ilya Y
• Application Number:
  US11/931,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 604/289, 604/290, 604/291
• US Class Current: 604/290
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3203 Fluid jet cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/04 by heating by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields, radiation or ultrasound A61N
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/046 in liquid form
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0004 Eyes or part of the face surrounding the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/0059 with an open fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting-in contact lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand caps with means for protecting the eyes A42B1/018; visors for helmets A42B3/22; retractors A61B17/02; manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; appliances to aid invalids to move about A61H3/00; exercisers for the eyes A61H5/00; eye baths A61H35/02; sunglasses or goggles having the same features as spectacles G02C
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00772 Apparatus for restoration of tear ducts

Abstract

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction in a mammal wherein an occlusion blocks at least a portion of the flow of naturally occurring secretion out of a gland channel orifice. The invention comprises selecting a device capable of delivering a jet of heated medium. The device is positioned such that when the jet is it is applied to the exterior surface of the eyelid, proximate to the gland channel orifice, a jet of heated medium is applied to the exterior surface of the eyelid proximate to the gland channel orifice at a pressure of from about 2 psi to about 30 psi. Application of the jet of heated medium is maintained for sufficient time to loosen, break up, fracture, soften or liquefy at least a portion of the occlusion such that at least a portion of the occlusion is removed. In an exemplary embodiment, the medium is water heated to a temperature of between about 42° C. and about 46° C. Depending on the particular type and composition of the obstruction, the fluid jet operates to melt or soften the obstruction and to milkingly move the corpus of the softened obstruction up the gland channel from the end opposite the meibomian gland orifice and out of the gland orifice. Repeated application of the heated fluid jet may also be necessary to soften and/or express the obstruction.

Claims

1. A method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction in a mammal wherein an occlusion blocks at least a portion of the flow of naturally occurring secretion out of a gland channel orifice comprising:

selecting a device capable of delivering a jet of heated medium;

positioning the device such that when the jet is delivered it is applied to the exterior surface of a closed eyelid, proximate to the gland channel orifice;

applying a jet of heated medium to the exterior surface of the closed eyelid proximate to the gland at a pressure; and

maintaining application of the jet of heated medium to the closed eyelid for sufficient time to loosen, break up, fracture, soften or liquefy at least a portion of the occlusion such that at least a portion of the occlusion is removed.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jet is applied in a pulsatory manner.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jet is applied at a frequency between 1 Hz and 300 Hz.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the heated medium is applied at a temperature of at least 42°

C.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device is positioned by attaching the device to the mammal.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the device is positioned by manually holding the device.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jet may be repositioned during application of the jet.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jet may not be repositioned during application of the jet.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jet is applied to the exterior surface of the closed eyelid through an intervening membrane.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the jet is directly applied to the exterior surface of the closed eyelid.

11. A method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction in a mammal wherein an occlusion blocks at least a portion of the flow of naturally occurring secretion out of a gland channel orifice comprising:

selecting a device capable of delivering a jet of heated medium;

positioning the device such that when the jet is delivered it is applied to the exterior surface of a closed eyelid, proximate to the gland channel orifice;

applying a jet of heated medium to the exterior surface of the closed eyelid proximate to the gland channel orifice; and

intermittently maintaining application of the jet of heated medium to the closed eyelid for sufficient time to loosen, break up, fracture, soften or liquefy at least a portion of the occlusion such that at least a portion of the occlusion is removed.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet is applied in a pulsatory manner.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the jet is applied at a frequency of between 1 Hz and 300 Hz.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the heated medium is applied at a temperature of at least 42°

C.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein the device is positioned by attaching the device to the mammal.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the device is positioned by manually holding the device.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet may be repositioned during application of the jet.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet may not be repositioned during application of the jet.

19. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet is indirectly applied to the exterior surface of the closed eyelid through an intervening membrane.

20. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet is directly applied to the exterior surface of the closed eyelid.

21. The method according to claim 11 wherein jet is heated by the modalities selected from the group consisting of conduction, convection and radiation.

22. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet is applied to the meibomian gland in a manner that milkingly moves up the meibomian gland channel from the end opposite the meibomian gland orifice toward the gland orifice.

23. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet is selected from the group consisting of fluid, gas, and flowable creams.

24. The method according to claim 11 further including the step of positioning a protective membrane over the eye and applying the jet of the heated medium to the membrane such that the jet pressure is transmitted there through and is absorbed by the closed eyelid.

25. The method according to claim 11 wherein the jet is pulsatory.