OCULAR IMPLANT WITH STIFFNESS QUALITIES, METHODS OF IMPLANTATION AND SYSTEM

• US 20100274258A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transcend Medical Incorporated (Alcon Incorporated)
• Inventors: SILVESTRINI, THOMAS A., Juan, Eugene de JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,377,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/108
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002

Abstract

Described herein are devices and methods for treating eye conditions. Described is an ocular implant including an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway, at least one inflow port communicating with the flow pathway, and at least one outflow port communicating with the flow pathway. The elongate member is adapted to be positioned in the eye such that at least one inflow port communicates with the anterior chamber, at least one outflow port communicates with the suprachoroidal space to provide a fluid pathway between the anterior chamber and the suprachoroidal space when the elongate member is implanted in the eye. The elongate member has a wall material imparting a stiffness to the elongate member. The stiffness is selected such that after implantation the elongate member deforms eye tissue surrounding the suprachoroidal space forming a tented volume.

Claims

1. An ocular implant, comprising:

an elongate member having an internal lumen forming a flow pathway, at least one inflow port communicating with the flow pathway, and at least one outflow port communicating with the flow pathway, wherein the elongate member is adapted to be positioned in the eye such that at least one inflow port communicates with the anterior chamber, at least one outflow port communicates with the suprachoroidal space to provide a fluid pathway between the anterior chamber and the suprachoroidal space when the elongate member is implanted in the eye; and

a wall material imparting a stiffness to the elongate member, wherein the stiffness is selected such that after implantation the elongate member deforms eye tissue surrounding the suprachoroidal space forming a tented volume.

2. The implant of claim 1, wherein the stiffness of the elongate member is greater than a stiffness of the eye tissue surrounding the suprachoroidal space.

3. The implant of claim 1, wherein the elongate member forms a chord relative to a curvature of the suprachoroidal space.

4. The implant of claim 1, wherein the eye tissue surrounding the suprachoroidal space comprises an outer tissue shell having a first boundary and a first curvature and an inner tissue shell having a second boundary and a second curvature, wherein the first curvature and the second curvature form a ratio.

5. The implant of claim 4, wherein the stiffness of the elongate member changes the ratio between the first curvature and the second curvature.

6. The implant of claim 4, wherein the elongate member is curved such that it intersects, but does not conform to the first or second curvatures when implanted.

7. The implant of claim 1, wherein the wall material has a Young'"'"'s modulus that is less than 30,000 pounds per square inch.

8. The implant of claim 1, wherein the wall material has a Young'"'"'s modulus that is between about 30,000 pounds per square inch and 70,000 pounds per square inch.

9. The implant of claim 1, wherein the wall material has a Young'"'"'s modulus that is approximately 200,000 pounds per square inch.

10. The implant of claim 1, wherein the wall material has a Young'"'"'s modulus that is less than or equal to 40,000,000 pounds per square inch.

11. The implant of claim 1, wherein the elongate member has an inner diameter of about 0.012 inch and an outer diameter of about 0.015 inch.

12. The implant of claim 1, wherein the elongate member has a length in the range of about 0.250 inch to about 0.300 inch.

13. A method of implanting an ocular device into the eye, comprising:

forming an incision in the cornea of the eye;

loading onto a delivery device an implant having a fluid passageway and a wall material imparting a stiffness to the implant;

inserting the implant loaded on the delivery device through the incision into the anterior chamber of the eye;

passing the implant along a pathway from the anterior chamber into the suprachoroidal space;

positioning at least a portion of the implant in the suprachoroidal space 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; and

releasing the implant from the delivery device such that the implant achieves a predetermined shape within the suprachoroidal space and forms a chord relative to a curvature of the suprachoroidal space.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the chord is straight.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the chord is curved.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the stiffness of the implant is greater than a stiffness of adjacent eye tissue.

17. A method of treating an eye, comprising:

forming an incision in the cornea of the eye;

inserting an implant through the incision into the anterior chamber of the eye wherein the implant includes a fluid passageway;

passing the implant along a pathway from the anterior chamber into the suprachoroidal space;

positioning the implant 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; and

applying a force on the ciliary body with the implant so as to reduce aqueous outflow from the ciliary body.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein applying a force on the ciliary body with the implant elicits an increase in prostaglandin production by the ciliary body.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein applying a force on the ciliary body with the implant comprises displacing at least a portion of the ciliary body.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein applying a force on the ciliary body with the implant does not displace the ciliary body.