Ocular implants for placement in schlemm's canal

• US 7,740,604 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ivantis Inc.
• Inventors: Schieber, Andrew T., Euteneuer, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet; Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gosart; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US11/860,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 623 511- 513, 623/6.64, 623/4.1, 604/8, 604/9
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2009/00891 Glaucoma
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• 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 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

An ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye. In some embodiments the implant has a body extending in a curved volume whose longitudinal axis forms an arc of a circle, and a plurality of open areas and strut areas formed in the body, the open areas extending over more than 50% of a surface defining the curved volume, the strut areas surrounding the open areas, the body having a diameter of between 0.005 inches and 0.04 inches. The invention also provides a method of treating glaucoma including the steps of supporting tissue forming Schlemm'"'"'s canal in an eye with an implant extending at least partially in the canal along an axial length within the canal; and contacting with the implant less than 50% of the tissue forming the canal along the axial length.

Claims

1. An ocular implant adapted to reside at least partially in a portion of Schlemm'"'"'s canal of an eye, the implant comprising:

a body adapted and configured to extend in a curved volume whose longitudinal axis defines a plane when the body resides in Schlemm'"'"'s canal of the eye,

a plurality of open areas and strut areas formed in the body, the open areas extending over more than 50% of a surface defining the curved volume, the strut areas surrounding the open areas, the body having a diameter of between 0.005 inches and 0.04 inches, and

a plurality of spine sections, the plane passing through the spine sections and the open areas.

2. The implant of claim 1 wherein the open areas comprise a first longitudinal section extending along the curved volume.

3. The implant of claim 2 wherein the first longitudinal section includes the largest radius portion of the curved volume.

4. The implant of claim 2 wherein the open areas further comprise a plurality of openings formed on a second longitudinal section.

5. The implant of claim 4 wherein the second longitudinal section is opposite the first longitudinal section.

6. The implant of claim 4 wherein the strut areas extend axially and circumferentially around the body from one side of the longitudinal section to the other side of the longitudinal section.

7. The implant of claim 4 wherein the open areas are positioned between the strut areas.

8. The implant of claim 1 wherein the implant is formed from shape memory material in a shape approximately equal to the curved volume.

9. The implant of claim 1 wherein material coverage in circular cross-sections perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is less than 50% over greater than 90% of the implant.

10. The implant of claim 1 wherein the implant extends through a 60°

-180°

arc of a circle.

11. The implant of claim 1 further comprising an inlet portion disposed at one end of the body in fluid communication with the body and extending inward from the circle arc.

12. The implant of claim 11 wherein the inlet portion extends at a 90°

angle from a tangent drawn from a connection point of the inlet portion to the body.

13. The implant of claim 11 wherein the inlet portion has a length greater than the diameter of the body.

14. The implant of claim 11 wherein the inlet portion is formed as a coil.

15. The implant of claim 1 further comprising an inlet portion disposed at one end of the body, the inlet having at least one open longitudinal section in fluid communication with the body.

16. The implant of claim 15 wherein the inlet portion extends along the same circle arc as the body.

17. The implant of claim 1 further comprising a blunt tip disposed at one end of the body.

18. The implant of claim 17 further comprising a lumen formed through the blunt tip.

19. The implant of claim 1 further comprising a therapeutic agent deposited on the body.

20. The implant of claim 19 wherein the a therapeutic agent comprises an anti-glaucoma drug.

21. The implant of claim 20 wherein the anti-glaucoma drug comprises a prostaglandin analog.

22. The implant of claim 21 wherein the prostaglandin analog comprises latanoprost.