Insertion tool for an eye disease treatment device
Inventors
Jiang, Rui Jing • Kao, Brandon • Griggs, Georgia • Yates, Michael
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12622811-B2
Publication Date
2026-05-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
Described herein are insertion tools for inserting a treatment device into a pocket formed between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue for treating high intraocular pressure and glaucoma. An insertion tool (800) includes a scissoring mechanism or an expandable mechanism that is configured to expand a pocket formed between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue. The scissoring mechanism or the expandable mechanism is also configured to unfurl a treatment device within the pocket.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a system for lowering intraocular pressure using an insertion tool and a treatment device. The insertion tool includes a scissoring mechanism with first and second arms connected at a pivot point and first and second prongs connected to the arms, and when the arms are in a closed position the prongs have a combined dimension less than a length of an incision of conjunctival tissue. After the prongs are inserted into a pocket formed between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue, the arms are actuated to an open position to separate the prongs and increase a width of the pocket.
The treatment device is configured to furl or wrap around the first and second prongs when the arms are in the closed position. When the arms are actuated to the open position, the prongs cause the treatment device to unfurl or spread to a flat shape in the pocket. The unfurled device is positioned between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue of the patient's eye and is configured to lower intraocular pressure by forming a fluid pathway through the treatment device.
The disclosure further characterizes insertion tool and treatment device interactions to support pocket access and device deployment. In one expandable-mechanism approach, first and second arms are bent or angled with respect to each other so that first ends contact absent external force, and actuation to the open position separates the first ends to increase pocket width. The treatment device also transitions between a furled or wrapped configuration and a flat sheet configuration, and includes foldable plate structure with fluid channels and coatings, as well as reinforcement features including laser-formed suture holes and tissue-glue anchoring to scleral tissue.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive coverage focuses on a scissoring or expandable insertion tool that fits through a conjunctival incision, prong-actuated unfurling or spreading of a furled treatment device into a flat configuration within a conjunctival-scleral pocket, and treatment device and deployment-related structural and geometric features enabling the pressure-lowering fluid pathway and retention or anchoring during and after insertion.
Scissoring prongs that fit an incision and unfold a furled treatment device in a pocket
A system for lowering intraocular pressure including an insertion tool with a scissoring mechanism having first and second arms and first and second prongs, where the prongs in a closed position have a combined dimension less than a length of an incision of conjunctival tissue, wherein the arms are actuated to an open position after insertion into a pocket between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue to separate the prongs and increase a width of the pocket, and wherein a treatment device furl or wraps around the prongs when the arms are closed and is caused to unfurl or spread to a flat shape in the pocket when the arms open.
Expandable insertion tool with angled arms that open to widen a pocket for unfurling
An insertion tool for a device that lowers intraocular pressure, comprising first and second arms forming an expandable mechanism bent or angled with respect to each other so that first ends contact absent external force, wherein the first ends of the arms in a closed position have a combined dimension less than a length of an incision of conjunctival tissue, and wherein the arms are actuated to an open position after insertion into a pocket between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue so that the first ends separate and increase a width of the pocket.
Method of wrapping a treatment device on closed prongs and unwrapping to a flat sheet
A method of inserting a treatment device to lower intraocular pressure including causing the treatment device to wrap around two prongs or ends of an expandable mechanism when the two prongs or ends are in a closed position; causing an incision in conjunctival tissue; causing the two prongs to go through the incision forming a pocket between conjunctival tissue and scleral tissue with an extension portion protruding from the incision; causing the prongs to separate to an open position widening the pocket and causing the treatment device to unwrap to a flat sheet within the pocket; causing the prongs to move to the closed position; and causing the prongs to be removed from the pocket through the incision, where a diameter of the prongs and wrapped treatment device is less than a diameter of the incision.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive coverage is directed to fitting a scissoring or expandable insertion tool through an incision, inserting prongs into a conjunctival-scleral pocket, actuating the prongs to widen the pocket, and using the prongs to unfurl or spread a furled treatment device to a flat configuration within the pocket, with additional claimed structural and reinforcement features for the treatment device and anchoring.
Stated Advantages
Lowering intraocular pressure.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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