Heat treatment and heat loss reduction for treating meibomian gland dysfunction
First Claim
1. A method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction, comprising:
- applying a heat to tissue proximate a patient'"'"'s meibomian gland to a temperature level to melt, loosen, or soften an obstruction located within a meibomian gland channel of a meibomian gland;
maintaining the heat to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland; and
applying a compressive force to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland, during the maintaining the heat to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland to apply a pressure to reduce blood flow in an area of the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland and reduce convective heat loss from the heat, to express the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel and from within the meibomian gland channel through a meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction. Heat is applied to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian glands to provide conductive heat transfer to the meibomian glands. The application of heat assists in the expression of obstructions or occlusions in the meibomian glands to restore sufficient sebum flow to the lipid layer to treat dry eye. A force may also be applied to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian glands to improve conductive heat transfer and reduce blood flow in the tissue that causes convective heat loss. Thus, the application of force can further increase the temperature level and/or reduce the time to reach desired temperature levels for removing obstructions. Reaching increased temperature levels may improve the melting, loosening, or softening of obstructions or occlusions in the meibomian glands while reducing the amount of time to reached desired temperature levels and/or aid in reducing discomfort to the patient during treatment.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of treating meibomian gland dysfunction, comprising:
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applying a heat to tissue proximate a patient'"'"'s meibomian gland to a temperature level to melt, loosen, or soften an obstruction located within a meibomian gland channel of a meibomian gland; maintaining the heat to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland; and applying a compressive force to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland, during the maintaining the heat to the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland to apply a pressure to reduce blood flow in an area of the tissue proximate the patient'"'"'s meibomian gland and reduce convective heat loss from the heat, to express the obstruction located within the meibomian gland channel and from within the meibomian gland channel through a meibomian gland orifice of the meibomian gland. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification