Method, surgical kit and device for treating glaucoma
First Claim
1. A kit for surgical treatment of elevated ocular pressure within the anterior chamber of the eye, the kit comprising:
- an instrument having a needle body for insertion through tissue to define a tissue passage connecting to the anterior chamber, wherein said needle body has a first maximal cross-sectional dimension along its length; and
an aqueous humor drainage device consisting of a flexible tube and first and second tabs,wherein said tube defines a duct for diverting aqueous humor from the anterior chamber, said tube having a proximal portion defining a cylindrical outer surface and a distal portion defining a cylindrical outer surface, the cylindrical outer surfaces of the proximal portion and the distal portion having a second maximal cross-sectional dimension that is less than said first maximal cross-sectional dimension, andwherein said first and second tabs are spaced apart from and intermediate the cylindrical outer surfaces of said proximal and distal portions of said tube, said tabs extending in a common plane radially outward beyond the cylindrical outer surfaces of said proximal and distal portions of said tube with a proximal surface and a distal surface, said distal surface having a tapered profile that extends away from the distal portion of said tube toward the proximal portion of said tube, and said tabs having a third maximal cross-sectional dimension that is greater than said first maximal cross-sectional dimension and structured in order to form a seal between the tissue passage and said tabs, said third maximal cross-sectional dimension of said tabs defined by at least one blunt surface formed between the proximal and distal surfaces of each tab.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical kit includes at least one instrument and at least one implant device. The instrument has a needle body used to form a surgical passage through ocular tissue. The device includes a flexible tube that defines a duct for diverting aqueous humor with an outer surface having a maximal cross-sectional dimension that is less than the maximal cross-sectional dimension of the needle body. The device incorporates sealing means including at least one element that define a maximal cross-sectional dimension that is greater that the maximal cross-sectional dimension of the needle body and that are operably disposed within the surgical passage and form a seal between the surrounding ocular tissue and the element(s) as well as fixate the device in the surgical passage. The kit (and devices thereof) can be used as part of a surgical method to divert aqueous humor to a space formed in ocular tissue.
49 Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A kit for surgical treatment of elevated ocular pressure within the anterior chamber of the eye, the kit comprising:
-
an instrument having a needle body for insertion through tissue to define a tissue passage connecting to the anterior chamber, wherein said needle body has a first maximal cross-sectional dimension along its length; and an aqueous humor drainage device consisting of a flexible tube and first and second tabs, wherein said tube defines a duct for diverting aqueous humor from the anterior chamber, said tube having a proximal portion defining a cylindrical outer surface and a distal portion defining a cylindrical outer surface, the cylindrical outer surfaces of the proximal portion and the distal portion having a second maximal cross-sectional dimension that is less than said first maximal cross-sectional dimension, and wherein said first and second tabs are spaced apart from and intermediate the cylindrical outer surfaces of said proximal and distal portions of said tube, said tabs extending in a common plane radially outward beyond the cylindrical outer surfaces of said proximal and distal portions of said tube with a proximal surface and a distal surface, said distal surface having a tapered profile that extends away from the distal portion of said tube toward the proximal portion of said tube, and said tabs having a third maximal cross-sectional dimension that is greater than said first maximal cross-sectional dimension and structured in order to form a seal between the tissue passage and said tabs, said third maximal cross-sectional dimension of said tabs defined by at least one blunt surface formed between the proximal and distal surfaces of each tab. - 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, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
Specification