Devices and methods for treatment of ocular disorders
First Claim
1. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating an ocular disorder, comprising:
- inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location;
utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants; and
conveying aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to a fluid outflow path of the eye using said first implant and said second implant;
wherein said locations are determined by imaging collector channel locations; and
wherein when said implants are positioned in said instrument at least one of said implants has an outlet orifice positioned in a direction transverse to an axis of said instrument.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Intraocular implants and delivery instruments are disclosed for treating ophthalmic conditions and ocular disorders, such as glaucoma. The implants are configured to extend between the anterior chamber of the eye and a fluid outflow path or physiologic outflow pathway, such as Schlemm'"'"'s canal, of the eye for enhancing outflow of aqueous from the anterior chamber so as to reduce intraocular pressure. The implants can have features for anchoring the implant into Schlemm'"'"'s canal as well as preventing the walls of Schlemm'"'"'s canal from closing the outlet of the implants. The delivery instruments can be steerable so as to make implantation easier. Additionally, the instruments can be configured to hold a plurality of implants so that multiple implants can be implanted through one incision without removing the instrument from the incision between serial implantations.
361 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating an ocular disorder, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision; utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants; and conveying aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to a fluid outflow path of the eye using said first implant and said second implant; wherein said locations are determined by imaging collector channel locations; and wherein when said implants are positioned in said instrument at least one of said implants has an outlet orifice positioned in a direction transverse to an axis of said instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating an ocular disorder, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision; utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a first location; utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant through a wall of Schlemm'"'"'s canal at a second location, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants; and conveying aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to a fluid outflow path of the eye using said first implant and said second implant; wherein said locations are angularly spaced along Schlemm'"'"'s canal by at least 20 degrees; and wherein when said implants are positioned in said instrument at least one of said implants has an outlet orifice positioned in a direction transverse to an axis of said instrument.
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4. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating an ocular disorder, comprising:
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inserting an instrument into an eye through an incision; providing a plurality of biocompatible implants that, when implanted, convey aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to a physiologic outflow pathway of the eye; utilizing said instrument to deliver a first biocompatible implant through a wall of a physiologic outflow pathway at a first location within the eye; and utilizing said instrument to deliver a second biocompatible implant through a wall of said physiologic outflow pathway at a second location within the eye, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants; wherein when said implants are positioned in said instrument at least one of said implants has an outlet orifice positioned in a direction transverse to an axis of said instrument. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of implanting a plurality of implants for treating an ocular disorder, comprising:
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providing a plurality of implants with an instrument; inserting the instrument into an eye through an incision; utilizing the instrument to deliver a first implant through eye tissue so as to place a portion of the first implant in a uveal scleral outflow path of the eye; utilizing the instrument to deliver a second implant through eye tissue so as to place a portion of the second implant in the uveal scleral outflow path, without removing the instrument from the eye between the deliveries of the implants; and conveying aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to the uveal scleral outflow path using the implants; wherein when said implants are positioned in said instrument at least one of said implants has an outlet orifice positioned in a direction transverse to an axis of said instrument. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of delivering a plurality of implants for treating an ocular disorder, comprising:
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providing a plurality of implants with an instrument; inserting the instrument into an eye through an incision; utilizing said instrument to deliver a first implant into eye tissue at a first location within the eye; utilizing said instrument to deliver a second implant into eye tissue at a second location within the eye, without removing said instrument from the eye between said deliveries of said implants; and conveying aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye to a physiologic outflow pathway of the eye using the implants; wherein when said implants are positioned in said instrument at least one of said implants has an outlet orifice positioned in a direction transverse to an axis of said instrument. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification