Implant delivery system and methods thereof for treating ocular disorders

• US 9,561,131 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Original Assignee: Glaukos Corporation
• Inventors: Niksch, Barbara A., Tu, Hosheng, Haffner, David Steven, Smedley, Gregory T., Gharib, Morteza, Burns, Thomas W., Lindstrom, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shi, Katherine M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENDOZA, MICHAEL G
• Application Number:
  US11/455,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20060241749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,886 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 623/1.11, 604/294
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/95 Instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9505 having retaining means other than an outer sleeve, e.g. male-female connector between stent and instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9511 the retaining means being filaments or wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/007 Methods or devices for eye surgery
• 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: 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

Surgical methods and related medical devices for treating glaucoma are disclosed. The method comprises trabecular bypass surgery, which involves bypassing diseased trabecular meshwork with the use of a stent implant. The stent implant is inserted into an opening created in the trabecular meshwork by a piercing member that is slidably advanceable through the lumen of the stent implant for supporting the implant insertion. The stent implant is positioned through the trabecular meshwork so that an inlet end of the stent implant is exposed to the anterior chamber of the eye and an outlet end is positioned into fluid collection channels at about an exterior surface of the trabecular meshwork or up to the level of aqueous veins.

Claims

1. A method for implanting an implant in an eye, the method comprising:

providing a delivery device comprising a trocar and an implant mounted on the trocar;

placing a distal end of the trocar against eye tissue;

piercing the eye tissue with the distal end of the trocar;

actuating a source of energy to expel the implant from a distal end of the delivery device and into the eye tissue such that at least a portion of the implant is placed into the eye tissue; and

anchoring the implant in the eye tissue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises eluting a drug from the implant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating a source of energy involves utilizing energy stored in the delivery device to expel the implant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein utilizing energy stored in the delivery device involves utilizing electromagnetic energy or stored mechanical energy to expel the implant.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein utilizing energy stored in the delivery device involves utilizing at least one of a spring that stores mechanical energy and a solenoid actuator to expel the implant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises inserting the distal end of the delivery device into an anterior chamber of the eye through a corneal incision.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises advancing the distal end of the delivery device through the anterior chamber to the eye tissue.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises advancing the distal end of the delivery device across the anterior chamber to the eye tissue.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a distal end of a delivery device against eye tissue involves placing the distal end against a trabecular meshwork of the eye.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a distal end of a delivery device against eye tissue involves placing the distal end against tissue that is a site of outflow of aqueous humor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein placing a distal end of a delivery device against eye tissue involves placing the distal end proximate to a physiologic outflow pathway of the eye.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises placing at least a portion of the implant in a physiologic outflow path of the eye.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein placing at least a portion of the implant in a physiologic outflow path involves placing said at least portion of the implant in the physiologic path which comprises Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises placing at least a portion of the implant in a sclera of the eye.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises placing at least a portion of the implant in an anterior chamber of the eye.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein placement of said at least portion of the implant in eye tissue involves placing said at least portion in a trabecular meshwork of the eye.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the eye tissue comprises at least one of a trabecular meshwork, a sclera, and a site of outflow of aqueous humor of the eye.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein anchoring the implant involves abutting a surface of the implant against the eye tissue to stabilize the implanted implant.