Ocular pressure regulation

• US 8,486,000 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transcend Medical Incorporated (Alcon Incorporated)
• Inventors: Coroneo, Minas Theodore
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiest, Philip R
• Application Number:
  US10/579,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,168 Days
• Field of Search: 604 8- 10, 604/521
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/148 Implantation instruments specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

This invention comprises a flexible ocular device for implantation into the eye formed of a biocompatible elastomeric material, foldable to a diameter of 1.5 mm or less, comprising a fluid drainage tube having at one end a foldable plate adapted to located the device on the inner surface of the sclera in a suprachoroidal space formed by cyclodialyis, said drainage tube opening on to the disc at one end and opening to the anterior chamber when implanted into the eye at its other end, so as to provide aqueous pressure regulation. Also provided are methods for the treatment of glaucoma utilizing the flexible ocular device, and an ocular pressure spike shunt.

Claims

1. An ocular pressure spike shunt for insertion into an ocular paracentesis incision port following ocular surgery, comprising a flexible fluid transfer tube formed of biocompatible material so as to allow paracentesis incision closure around said tube, having a distal region on an inner surface of a cornea and a proximal end on an outer surface of the cornea, a tubular portion having a lumen, the tubular portion disposed between said distal region and said proximal end to allow fluid communication through said tube, wherein said distal region and proximal end both have an enlarged diameter relative to a diameter of a central section of said shunt, and wherein said distal region is cone-shaped such that the diameter of the distal region gradually reduces moving in a distal direction and a distal-most end of the distal region is curved, said lumen containing a slit valve for controlling pressure in the eye following ocular surgery, which valve opens permitting fluid flow through said tube when a predetermined pressure is exceeded, said shunt being configured such that on insertion into a paracentesis port said proximal end is flush with the outer surface of the cornea and a portion of the enlarged diameter of the distal region is positioned flat against the inner surface of the cornea, and said distal region opens into the anterior chamber of the eye, wherein the tube is removable from the eye, the proximal end having a foldable plate that lies flush with the surface of the cornea when the pressure spike shunt is implanted, the foldable plate being perpendicular to the tubular portion, wherein the ocular pressure spike shunt, including the foldable plate, is foldable to a diameter of 1.5 mm or less.

2. A shunt according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined pressure is 10 mm Hg.

3. An ocular pressure spike shunt as in claim 1, wherein the tubular portion has a length equal to a thickness of the cornea.

4. A method for preventing ocular pressure spikes following ocular surgery wherein a paracentesis incision port is formed in the eye during said surgery, comprising introducing an ocular pressure spike shunt into said paracentesis port at the conclusion of ocular surgery, said shunt comprising a flexible fluid transfer tube formed of biocompatible material so as to allow paracentesis incision closure around said tube, having a distal region on an inner surface of a cornea and a proximal end on an outer surface of the cornea, a tubular portion having a lumen, the tubular portion disposed between said distal region and said proximal end to allow fluid communication through said tube, wherein said distal region and proximal end both have an enlarged diameter relative to a diameter of a central section of said shunt, and wherein said distal region is cone-shaped such that the diameter of the distal region gradually reduces moving in a distal direction and a distal-most end of the distal region is curved, said lumen containing a slit valve for controlling pressure in the eye following ocular surgery, which valve opens permitting fluid flow through said tube when a predetermined pressure is exceeded, said shunt being configured such that on insertion into a paracentesis port said proximal end is substantially flush with the outer surface of the cornea and a portion of the enlarged diameter of the distal region is positioned flat against the inner surface of the cornea, and said distal region extends into the anterior chamber of the eye, wherein the tube is removable from the eye, the proximal end having a foldable plate that lies flush with the surface of the cornea when the pressure spike shunt is implanted, the foldable plate being perpendicular to the tubular portion, wherein the ocular pressure spike shunt, including the foldable plate, is foldable to a diameter of 1.5 mm or less.