Glaucoma treatment device

• US 9,421,130 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: de Juan, Eugene Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCETICH, ADAM M
• Application Number:
  US14/817,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20150335487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00; Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/14 Eye parts, e.g. lenses, corneal implants; Implanting instruments specially adapted therefor; Artificial eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/142 Cornea, e.g. artificial corneae, keratoprostheses or corneal implants for repair of defective corneal tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0096 Markers and sensors for detecting a position or changes of a position of an implant, e.g. RF sensors, ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00736 Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments A61F9/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0133 Knives or scalpels specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/04 Liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/002 Implant devices for drainage of body fluids from one part of the body to another intraocular A61F9/00781; middle ear A61F11/202

Abstract

Methods and devices are adapted for implanting into the eye. An incision is formed in the cornea of the eye and a shunt is inserted through the incision into the anterior chamber of the eye. The shunt includes a fluid passageway. The shunt is passed along a pathway from the anterior chamber through the scleral spur of the eye into the suprachoroidal space and positioned in a first position such that a first portion of the fluid passageway communicates with the anterior chamber and a second portion of the fluid passageway communicates with the suprachoroidal space to provide a fluid passageway between the suprachoroidal space and the anterior chamber.

Claims

1. A method of treating an eye, comprising:

introducing an ocular implant through a cornea of an eye with the ocular implant being loaded on a delivery instrument, wherein the ocular implant comprises;

(a) a tube formed of an annular wall having a proximal region, a distal region, and an internal lumen, wherein the tube has at least one ingress to the internal lumen that communicates with the anterior chamber of the eye when the tube is positioned in the eye and at least one egress from the internal lumen that communicates with the supraciliary space or suprachoroidal space when the tube is positioned in the eye, and wherein the at least one egress includes at least one opening in the distal region of the tube;

(b) an annular sleeve on the tube, wherein the annular sleeve extends along at least a portion of the length of the tube and wherein the annular sleeve has a length along a longitudinal axis of the tube, the length of the annular sleeve being longer than a width of the annular sleeve;

advancing the ocular implant through the anterior chamber;

advancing the ocular implant between the ciliary body and the sclera so as to peel or separate a choroid from a sclera and from a suprachoroidal space using a distal tip of the delivery instrument or the implant; and

detaching the ocular implant from the delivery instrument so that a distal end of the ocular implant is positioned to fluidly communicate with the suprachoroidal or supraciliary space and a proximal end of the ocular implant is in the anterior chamber of the eye.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve of the ocular implant comprises a material that is different from a material of the tube.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve of the ocular implant forms at least a portion of an outer surface of the implant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a portion of the annular sleeve of the ocular implant resides within the anterior chamber when the implant is implanted in the eye.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ingress is an opening at a proximal end of the tube.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one egress is an opening at a distal end of the tube.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve material is stiffer than the tube material.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stiffness of the ocular implant varies along an axial length of the implant.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the tube of the ocular implant further has retention features along its length.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the retention features includes undulating ridges along the length of the tube.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular implant is coated with drug.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the tube of the ocular implant is flexible to conform to the shape of an eye when implanted in the eye.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve is not flexible to conform to the shape of an eye.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tube is curved.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve of the ocular implant extends beyond a proximal edge of the tube.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the annular sleeve of the ocular implant extends only along a proximal region of the tube.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the ocular implant has a flared proximal end.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one egress is a plurality of openings in a distal region of the tube.