Punctal anchor for lacrimal stent, introducer tool and method
First Claim
1. A method for stenting a patient'"'"'s nasolacrimal duct which comprises the steps of:
- selecting an elongated tubular guide sleeve and an elongated flexible stent;
wherein said guide sleeve has an open proximal end and an open distal end, and defines an internal channel; and
,wherein said stent has a proximal extremity and a distal extremity; and
,wherein said stent is located within said channel;
pushing said sleeve carrying said stent through a patient'"'"'s punctum, canaliculus, lacrimal sac, nasolacrimal duct and into the nasal cavity;
confirming that the distal end of said sleeve is located in said nasal cavity;
proximally withdrawing said guide sleeve while leaving said stent in place; and
,affixing a punctal anchor to said stent;
wherein said selecting an elongated flexible stent further comprises;
choosing said stent to be tubular; and
,wherein said distal extremity is closed and said proximal extremity is open.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device and method for performing stenting and intubation of the nasolacrimal system to treat for stenosis or obstruction includes a semi-rigid tubular guide sleeve through which a flexible tubular stent, having an oversized length, is inserted from a punctal opening into the nasal cavity. The guide sleeve is removed and a resilient, radially expandable punctal anchor is placed through the punctal opening, to contact the stent and hold it in place. An introducer device having a hollow tubular core and a coaxially mounted, axially translatable outer sheath is provided to facilitate placement of the anchor. The anchor is stretched over the distal end of the core and the stent threaded into the central lumen of the core. Once the anchor is in place, the sheath is translated to push the anchor off the distal end. Excess stent at its proximal end is then trimmed off.
66 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for stenting a patient'"'"'s nasolacrimal duct which comprises the steps of:
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selecting an elongated tubular guide sleeve and an elongated flexible stent; wherein said guide sleeve has an open proximal end and an open distal end, and defines an internal channel; and
,wherein said stent has a proximal extremity and a distal extremity; and
,wherein said stent is located within said channel; pushing said sleeve carrying said stent through a patient'"'"'s punctum, canaliculus, lacrimal sac, nasolacrimal duct and into the nasal cavity; confirming that the distal end of said sleeve is located in said nasal cavity; proximally withdrawing said guide sleeve while leaving said stent in place; and
,affixing a punctal anchor to said stent; wherein said selecting an elongated flexible stent further comprises; choosing said stent to be tubular; and
,wherein said distal extremity is closed and said proximal extremity is open. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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2. A method for stenting a patient'"'"'s nasolacrimal duct which comprises the steps of:
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selecting an elongated tubular guide sleeve and an elongated flexible stent; wherein said guide sleeve has an open proximal end and an open distal end, and defines an internal channel; and
,wherein said stent has a proximal extremity and a distal extremity; and
,wherein said stent is located within said channel; pushing said sleeve carrying said stent through a patient'"'"'s punctum, canaliculus, lacrimal sac, nasolacrimal duct and into the nasal cavity; confirming that the distal end of said sleeve is located in said nasal cavity; proximally withdrawing said guide sleeve while leaving said stent in place; and
,affixing a punctal anchor to said stent; wherein said affixing comprises; choosing said stent to have a proximal portion of a given cross-sectional dimension; selecting said anchor to have a resiliently expandable bore having a resting diameter smaller than said dimension; expanding said bore; inserting said proximal portion of said stent into said bore after said expanding; and
,collapsing said bore onto said stent. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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3. A method for stenting a patient'"'"'s nasolacrimal duct which comprises the steps of:
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selecting an elongated tubular guide sleeve and an elongated flexible stent; wherein said guide sleeve has an open proximal end and an open distal end, and defines an internal channel; and
,wherein said stent has a proximal extremity and a distal extremity; and
,wherein said stent is located within said channel; pushing said sleeve carrying said stent through a patient'"'"'s punctum, canaliculus, lacrimal sac, nasolacrimal duct and into the nasal cavity; confirming that the distal end of said sleeve is located in said nasal cavity; proximally withdrawing said guide sleeve while leaving said stent in place; and
,affixing a punctal anchor to said stent; wherein said affixing comprises; selecting said anchor to have a resiliently reducable diameter; reducing the diameter of said anchor; inserting said anchor while in a reduced diameter state into an opening in said proximal extremity of said stent; and
,allowing said anchor to resiliently return to a non-reduced diameter state, thereby forming a friction fit with said stent. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification