Method and device for irrigation into the lacrimal puncta
AssigneeVisant Medical, Inc.
InventorCary REICH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lacrimal cannula includes a hollow tubular body having a dispensing end, a loading end, and an injection lumen running from the loading end to the dispensing end. The dispensing end terminates in a distal tip configured to engage and seal against a punctal os in a patient's eye while being inhibited from entering a horizontal portion of the lacrimal canaliculus. The distal tip has an outer diameter selected to allow limited entry into an upper region of a vertical portion of the lacrimal canaliculus. A region of the hollow tubular body proximal of distal tip is sufficiently large to block advancement of the distal tip beyond a short distance into the vertical portion of the lacrimal canaliculus, typically no more than 2 mm.
Claims22
A lacrimal cannula comprising:
- a hollow tubular body having a dispensing end, a loading end, and an injection lumen theretween;
- wherein the dispensing end terminates in a distal tip configured to engage and seal against a punctal os while being inhibited from entering a horizontal portion the lacrimal canaliculus.
A method for delivering a substance to a patient's lacrimal canaliculus or lacrimal sac, said method comprising:
- engaging a distal tip of a hollow tubular body against the patient's punctal os, wherein the distal tip seals against the punctal os but does not enter the patient's horizontal lacrimal canaliculus;
- and
- injecting the substance through an injection lumen of the hollow tubular body, out of the distal tip, and into the patient's lacrimal sac and/or lacrimal canaliculus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.