Posterior segment drug delivery
First Claim
1. A method of treating an eye of a patient having a posterior chamber, the method comprising:
- implanting a therapeutic device into the eye, said device comprising;
a rigid, hollow, refillable body for implantation within the posterior chamber of the eye through a penetration in the sclera, the body formed of a substantially rigid, impermeable wall of biocompatible material, the body having a proximal cap portion adapted to be positioned outside the sclera, an intermediate neck portion, and a distal reservoir portion adapted to reside in the posterior chamber such that the sclera is positioned about the neck portion when the device is positioned in the eye, wherein the neck portion has a smaller transverse outer dimension than at least one transverse outer dimension of the cap portion and at least one transverse outer dimension of the reservoir portion;
the cap portion adapted to receive an injection of a therapeutic agent into the reservoir and to remain external to the posterior chamber;
a rigid porous structure having a plurality of interconnecting, irregularly shaped channels, said rigid porous structure coupled to a discrete, distal portion of the reservoir and tuned to release therapeutic amounts of a therapeutic agent from the reservoir through said plurality of channels and into said posterior chamber for an extended time, wherein the therapeutic device has a substantially fixed volume during implantation and use; and
injecting a therapeutic agent into the reservoir portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A therapeutic device to release a therapeutic agent comprises a porous structure coupled to a container comprising a reservoir. The reservoir comprises a volume sized to release therapeutic amounts of the therapeutic agent for an extended time when coupled to the porous structure and implanted in the patient. The porous structure may comprise a first side coupled to the reservoir and a second side to couple to the patient to release the therapeutic agent. A plurality of interconnecting channels can extend from the first side to the second side so as to connect a first a plurality of openings on the first side with a second plurality of openings on the second side.
390 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method of treating an eye of a patient having a posterior chamber, the method comprising:
-
implanting a therapeutic device into the eye, said device comprising; a rigid, hollow, refillable body for implantation within the posterior chamber of the eye through a penetration in the sclera, the body formed of a substantially rigid, impermeable wall of biocompatible material, the body having a proximal cap portion adapted to be positioned outside the sclera, an intermediate neck portion, and a distal reservoir portion adapted to reside in the posterior chamber such that the sclera is positioned about the neck portion when the device is positioned in the eye, wherein the neck portion has a smaller transverse outer dimension than at least one transverse outer dimension of the cap portion and at least one transverse outer dimension of the reservoir portion; the cap portion adapted to receive an injection of a therapeutic agent into the reservoir and to remain external to the posterior chamber; a rigid porous structure having a plurality of interconnecting, irregularly shaped channels, said rigid porous structure coupled to a discrete, distal portion of the reservoir and tuned to release therapeutic amounts of a therapeutic agent from the reservoir through said plurality of channels and into said posterior chamber for an extended time, wherein the therapeutic device has a substantially fixed volume during implantation and use; and injecting a therapeutic agent into the reservoir portion. - 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. A method of treating a patient, comprising:
-
implanting a medical device into an eye, said device comprising; a rigid, hollow, refillable body for implantation within the posterior chamber of the eye through a penetration in the sclera, the body formed of a substantially rigid, impermeable wall of biocompatible material, the body having a proximal cap portion adapted to be positioned outside the sclera, an intermediate neck portion, and a distal reservoir portion adapted to reside in the posterior chamber such that the sclera is positioned about the neck portion when the device is positioned in the eye, wherein the neck portion has a smaller transverse outer dimension than at least one transverse outer dimension of the cap portion and at least one transverse outer dimension of the reservoir portion; the cap portion adapted to receive an injection of a therapeutic agent into the reservoir and to remain external to the posterior chamber; and a rigid porous structure having a plurality of interconnecting, irregularly shaped channels, said rigid porous structure coupled to a discrete, distal portion of the reservoir and tuned to release therapeutic amounts of a therapeutic agent from the reservoir through said plurality of channels and into said posterior chamber for an extended time, wherein the therapeutic device has a substantially fixed volume during implantation and use; injecting the therapeutic agent into the medical device; and permitting the therapeutic agent to release through the rigid porous structure and into the eye for the extended period of time. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
-
26. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent into an eye of a patient, comprising:
-
providing a therapeutic device comprising; a rigid, hollow, refillable body for implantation within the posterior chamber of the eye through a penetration in the sclera, the body formed of a substantially rigid, impermeable wall of biocompatible material, the body having a proximal cap portion adapted to be positioned outside the sclera, an intermediate neck portion, and a distal reservoir portion adapted to reside in the posterior chamber such that the sclera is positioned about the neck portion when the device is positioned in the eye, wherein the neck portion has a smaller transverse outer dimension than at least one transverse outer dimension of the cap portion and at least one transverse outer dimension of the reservoir portion; the cap portion adapted to receive an injection of a therapeutic agent into the reservoir and to remain external to the posterior chamber; and a rigid porous structure having a plurality of interconnecting, irregularly shaped channels, said rigid porous structure coupled to a discrete, distal portion of the reservoir and tuned to release therapeutic amounts of a therapeutic agent from the reservoir through said plurality of channels and into said posterior chamber for an extended time, wherein the therapeutic device has a substantially fixed volume during implantation and use; implanting the device into the eye such that at least the rigid, porous structure is placed in fluid communication with an interior portion of the eye, wherein the therapeutic agent is capable of releasing into the interior of the eye; monitoring the patient'"'"'s response to the release of therapeutic agent into the eye; determining whether to introduce additional of therapeutic agent into the reservoir portion based on the patient'"'"'s response to the release of therapeutic agent; and injecting additional therapeutic agent into the reservoir portion, such that the additional therapeutic agent is capable of releasing into the interior of the eye for an additional extended period of time.
-
Specification