US 8,491,549 B2 · Ophthalmic microsurgical system

Abstract

An ophthalmic microsurgical system is described for treatment of eye diseases, such as glaucoma, using minimally invasive surgical techniques. The microsurgical system includes a thin walled outer sheath microcannula 1 slidably disposed about an inner member 4, which extends slightly beyond the distal end of the microcannula 1. The inner member 4 may be straight or curved and may optionally include a surgical instrument and/or a sensor or signaling beacon. The microsurgical system is used in a surgical procedure for opening Schlemm's Canal to provide drainage of aqueous fluid in order to relieve excess intraocular pressure that results from glaucoma and other diseases of the eye.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A microcannula based microsurgical system designed to operate within a tissue tract of the eye, comprising:

a flexible tubular outer sheath with an outer diameter of 250 microns or less, with proximal and distal ends, to fit within the tissue tract;
a proximal connector on the outer sheath for introduction of materials and tools;
and an inner member with a proximal end and a distal tip, wherein the tip is restricted from advancement past a predetermined length from the outer sheath, with the outer sheath and inner member sized such that the inner member fits slidably within the outer sheath and may be removed separately from the outer sheath while in the tissue tract.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/496,254Filed 21 Nov 2002 · us provisional application

Priority

21 Nov 2001

Published

US 2006/0149194 A16 Jul 2006

Granted

23 Jul 2013

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

A61B 17/32002
Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes: with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
A61B 17/3421
Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating: cannulas
A61F 9/00763
Instruments for removal of intra-ocular material or intra-ocular injection, e.g. cataract instruments: with rotating or reciprocating cutting…
A61F 9/00781
Methods or devices for eye surgery: apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment

Ophthalmic microsurgical system

Life of this patent

Ophthalmic microsurgical system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24