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US4428746A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Glaucoma treatment device

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-07-29
•
Granted: 1984-01-31
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Expires: 2001-07-29
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Abstract

Abstract Glaucoma treatment device for surgical implant for the treatment and management of glaucoma. The glaucoma treatment device includes a single continuous length of cylindrical member having two ends substantially in a first plane and angled slightly inwards toward each other, two smaller loops having the small loops substantially in a like second plane at a slight outward angle to the first plane and each outer end of the small loops connected to the two ends, and an elongated large loop with a large end radius in between the two ends, substantially positioned in the first plane and connected to the inner ends of the smaller loops. The cylindrical member can consist of polymethylmethacrylate or like material. The device is surgically implanted in the eye under a partial thickness scleral flap in the newly formed scleral bed, and secures a channel for aqueous humor to flow away from the eye.

Inventors

  • 👤 Antonio Mendez

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 11:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M27/00; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/007; A61F9/00781; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/14; A61L27/16; A61L29/00; A61L29/04; A61L29/041; A61L2430/00; A61L2430/16

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 128 words
Glaucoma treatment device for treating disease of glaucoma in the human eye by surgical implant, said device comprising: a. means including at least two small geometrical loop means of a small diameter and a large slightly elongated loop in a plane with said two small loop means and connected to said ends of said small loops for positioning within a portion of the eye; and, b. means including two substantially aligned parallel members connected to said loop means at an angle for positioning in at least a partial scleral flap of said eye, and connected at an angle to said loop means whereby said device provides a canal between said loop means and said member means thereby providing for discharge of aqueous humor from interior of said eye.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 128 words
Glaucoma treatment device for treating disease of glaucoma in the human eye by surgical implant, said device comprising: a. means including at least two small geometrical loop means of a small diameter and a large slightly elongated loop in a plane with said two small loop means and connected to said ends of said small loops for positioning within a portion of the eye; and, b. means including two substantially aligned parallel members connected to said loop means at an angle for positioning in at least a partial scleral flap of said eye, and connected at an angle to said loop means whereby said device provides a canal between said loop means and said member means thereby providing for discharge of aqueous humor from interior of said eye.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means comprises three small loop means connected to each other and large slightly elongated loops in a plane with said small loop means and connected to ends of said small loops.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 2 wherein comprising two large slightly elongated loops in a plane with said members and connected to ends of small loop means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 25 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means comprise a continuous cylindrical member of continuous length forming said loop means and said members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 4 wherein said cylindrical member is polymethylmethacrylate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 22 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 5 wherein said cylindrical member is of a diameter in the range of 0.01 to 5.0 millimeters.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 5 wherein said cylindrical member is substantially of a diameter of 0.25 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 5 wherein said loop means substantially are of a height of 1 mm and said member means are substantially of a height of 3 mm and a width of 3.5 mm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 26 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means are at an angle to said member means in the range of less than ninety degrees.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 comprising a third means connecting said first means to said second means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
Glaucoma treatment device of claim 1 wherein said loop means and said member means consist of flexible polymethylmethacrylate material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 94 words
Glaucoma treatment device for surgical implant in an eye, said device comprising: a. at least two small loop means on one plane providing a discharge channel from an anterior chamber of said eye; and, b. at least one large loop means connecting between said two small loop means and two member means connected to outer ends of said small loop means providing channels for surfacing within sclera of said eye whereby said discharge channel means and said channel surface member means provide for discharge of aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of said eye.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 94 words
Glaucoma treatment device for surgical implant in an eye, said device comprising: a. at least two small loop means on one plane providing a discharge channel from an anterior chamber of said eye; and, b. at least one large loop means connecting between said two small loop means and two member means connected to outer ends of said small loop means providing channels for surfacing within sclera of said eye whereby said discharge channel means and said channel surface member means provide for discharge of aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of said eye.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 142 words
Glaucoma treatment device comprising: a. continuous finite length of a geometrical member, said member including a substantially identical geometrical cross section at each increment of said finite length including two ends in a first plane; b. at least two small loop means in a second plane at an angle to said first plane and each outer end of said loop means connected to said ends; and, c. at least one elongated large loop including a major radius in said first plane and connected between each of said small loop means whereby said small loop means are surgically implanted into an anterior chamber of an eye and said large loop and ends are under a scleral flap or partial scleral flap of said eye thereby securing a channel for discharge of aqueous humor to flow away from said eye for decrease of pressure.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 142 words
Glaucoma treatment device comprising: a. continuous finite length of a geometrical member, said member including a substantially identical geometrical cross section at each increment of said finite length including two ends in a first plane; b. at least two small loop means in a second plane at an angle to said first plane and each outer end of said loop means connected to said ends; and, c. at least one elongated large loop including a major radius in said first plane and connected between each of said small loop means whereby said small loop means are surgically implanted into an anterior chamber of an eye and said large loop and ends are under a scleral flap or partial scleral flap of said eye thereby securing a channel for discharge of aqueous humor to flow away from said eye for decrease of pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 199 words
Process for management and treatment of glaucoma in an eye with a glaucoma treatment device, said process comprising: a. dissecting tissue down a plane at corneo-sclera limbus forming a scleral flap slightly larger than a surface channel of an elongated large loop and extending members of said glaucoma treatment device; b. slitting said flap substantially in center with a narrow slit for engagement over said extending members and elongated large loop of said device; c. sectioning out a portion of said eye for accepting small loops which protrude into anterior chamber of said eye; d. positioning the glaucoma treatment device between the scleral flap with the small loops extending into the anterior chamber of the eye and the elongated large loop and extending members positioned in said sclera; e. suturing the surface portion of the glaucoma treatment device to at least one point to said sclera; f. suturing said scleral flaps over the surface portion of said device; and, g. reconstituting the anterior chamber of the eye with air whereby the glaucoma treatment device is surgically implanted into the anterior chamber thereby securing a channel for aqueous fluid to discharge from the eye in management and treatment of glaucoma.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 199 words
Process for management and treatment of glaucoma in an eye with a glaucoma treatment device, said process comprising: a. dissecting tissue down a plane at corneo-sclera limbus forming a scleral flap slightly larger than a surface channel of an elongated large loop and extending members of said glaucoma treatment device; b. slitting said flap substantially in center with a narrow slit for engagement over said extending members and elongated large loop of said device; c. sectioning out a portion of said eye for accepting small loops which protrude into anterior chamber of said eye; d. positioning the glaucoma treatment device between the scleral flap with the small loops extending into the anterior chamber of the eye and the elongated large loop and extending members positioned in said sclera; e. suturing the surface portion of the glaucoma treatment device to at least one point to said sclera; f. suturing said scleral flaps over the surface portion of said device; and, g. reconstituting the anterior chamber of the eye with air whereby the glaucoma treatment device is surgically implanted into the anterior chamber thereby securing a channel for aqueous fluid to discharge from the eye in management and treatment of glaucoma.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB114051A Cited
US1280979A Cited
US2834023A Cited
US3159161A Cited
US4321916A Cited
US4327450A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-01-30 1987-08-01 1988-01-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-01-30 1991-08-01 1992-01-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-01-30 1995-08-01 1996-01-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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