Corner protector and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

To provide an angle protector capable of preventing foreign matter from entering the angle during intraocular surgery, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Solution] The angle protector 1 is provided with a C-shaped member 2 that is placed at the angle through an incision site on the eyeball and is deformable to fit the shape of the angle while placed at the angle, and a thread 3 that is connected to one of the opposing ends of the C-shaped member 2 and can be pulled by a user to pull the C-shaped member 2 placed at the angle out of the incision site. The end of the C-shaped member 2 to which the thread 3 is connected is formed into a cone shape with a rounded apex.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an angle protector and a method for manufacturing the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Like humans, pets can develop cataracts, a disease that causes the transparent lens to become clouded. Dogs are said to be particularly susceptible to developing cataracts among pets. When the symptoms of cataracts progress to a certain extent, dogs may often bump into pillars or walls or become sensitive to noises, and when the symptoms progress further, owners may also notice that the lens is clouded. As disclosed in Patent Document 1, when treatment with eye drops is not expected to be effective, surgery may be selected at the owner's request. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-73993 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In intraocular surgery in dogs, particularly cataract surgery, the occurrence of glaucoma as a postoperative complication is problematic. Although the exact pathology of postoperative glaucoma is not known, it is thought to be caused by foreign bodies such as tissue fragments and cellular components generated during surgery, and ocular viscoelastic agents used during surgery that cause blockages in the drainage channel (angle) of aqueous humor, resulting in an increase in intraocular pressure. This problem is not limited to cataract surgery in dogs, but also exists when performing intraocular surgery on animals other than dogs and humans.

[0005] The present invention has been made against this background, and aims to provide an angle protector capable of preventing foreign bodies from entering the angle during intraocular surgery, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the angle protector according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises: A C-shaped member that is placed in the angle through an incision in the eyeball and that is deformable to conform to the shape of the angle when placed in the angle; a traction member connected to one of the opposing ends of the C-shaped member and capable of being pulled by a user to pull the C-shaped member placed at the angle out of the incision site; Equipped with.

[0007] The end of the C-piece to which the traction member is connected may be formed into a cone shape with a rounded apex.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, a method for manufacturing an angle protector according to a second aspect of the present invention comprises the steps of: providing the C-shaped member and the pulling member; connecting the traction member to the end of the C-shaped member; Includes. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an angle protector capable of preventing foreign matter from entering the angle during intraocular surgery, and a method for manufacturing the same. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing the configuration of an angle protector according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the angle protector of FIG. 1 temporarily placed in an intraocular angle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a front view showing the angle protector of FIG. 1 temporarily placed in an intraocular angle. [Figure 4] 13(a) and 13(b) are enlarged views of a portion of the configuration of an angle protector according to a modified example of the present invention. [Diagram 5]FIG. 2 is a photograph of the appearance of the angle protector produced in the examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an angle protector and a manufacturing method thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent parts are given the same reference numerals. In the embodiment, a case where a dog is the subject of surgery will be described as an example.

[0012] The angle protector according to the embodiment is a surgical instrument that is temporarily installed to close the angle between the cornea and the iris in the eye of a dog, and prevents foreign bodies from entering the angle. The angle protector according to the embodiment is installed at the angle through an incision made in the eyeball before or during surgery, and is removed from the incision after surgery. This prevents the angle from being blocked by foreign bodies generated during surgery, impeding the flow of aqueous humor, and preventing an increase in intraocular pressure.

[0013] The angle protector according to the embodiment can be applied to any intraocular surgery, but is preferably applied to cataract surgery. Cataract is a disease in which the lens becomes clouded due to some cause, such as aging, heredity, or diabetes, and vision is impaired. In cataract surgery, an ultrasonic probe is used to aspirate the clouded tissue of the lens while emulsifying it, and then the procedure is performed to replace it with an artificial intraocular lens.

[0014] In such intraocular surgery, a large number of tissue fragments and cellular components are suspended in the aqueous humor due to the operation of surgical instruments and the placement of an intraocular lens. In addition, ocular viscoelastic agents are used to spread the intraocular tissues to maintain a large space in the anterior chamber and to protect the intraocular tissues from the surgical instruments. The angle protector according to the embodiment protects the angle so that these foreign bodies do not move with the flow of aqueous humor during surgery and cause clogging in the angle. As a result, the incidence of glaucoma, a postoperative complication, can be reduced.

[0015] Next, the configuration of an angle protector 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The angle protector 1 includes a C-shaped member 2 that is placed at the angle through an incision site on the eyeball and is deformable to fit the shape of the angle while placed at the angle, and a thread 3 that is connected to an end of the C-shaped member 2 and can be pulled by a user to pull the C-shaped member 2 placed at the angle out of the incision site.

[0016] The C-shaped member 2 is an elastic member curved into a C-shape that can be deformed to fit the shape of the corner, for example, a solid rubber ring with a circular cross section and a slit. The C-shaped member 2 has a gap 2a between both ends when no external force is applied. The C-shaped member 2 is made of a biocompatible material that can be sterilized by high-pressure steam and elastically deformed, for example, silicone rubber or nitrile rubber.

[0017] The C-shaped member 2 is preferably formed so as to expand outward when placed in the angle of the eye of the target dog. This allows the C-shaped member 2 to enter the outer periphery of the area formed by the cornea and iris, preventing the C-shaped member 2 from falling out of the angle. As an example, when a dog is the target, it is preferable that the ring diameter (outer diameter) of the C-shaped member 2 is within a range of, for example, 15 mm to 18 mm, and the diameter of its cross section is within a range of, for example, 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm.

[0018] The thread 3 is an example of a traction member that can be pulled by a user, and is connected to one of a pair of opposing end surfaces of the C-shaped member 2, for example. The thread 3 is preferably a suture, particularly a non-absorbable suture, and is formed of, for example, nylon, polyester, or polypropylene. The thread 3 is preferably a monofilament to prevent foreign matter from remaining in the eye, but may be a multifilament in consideration of the application of a traction force. The thread 3 may be colored to improve visibility. The above is the configuration of the angle protector 1.

[0019] Next, a manufacturing method of the angle protector 1 according to the embodiment will be described. The angle protector 1 is not necessarily manufactured before surgery, but may be manufactured during surgery at a clinic or hospital after determining the size and shape of the eyeball.

[0020] First, the C-shaped member 2 and the thread 3 are prepared. To obtain the C-shaped member 2, for example, a rubber ring is selected according to the size of the eyeball of the target dog, sterilized with high-temperature steam, and a cut is made in only one place. Alternatively, multiple types of C-shaped members 2 with different ring diameters and cross-sectional diameters may be prepared in advance. As for the thread 3, the sterilized one may be cut to an appropriate length, taking into consideration the size of the eyeball of the target dog and the ease of use by the surgeon.

[0021] Next, the thread 3 is attached to one of the opposing ends of the C-shaped member 2. The method of attaching the thread 3 is arbitrary, but for example, the thread 3 may be passed through the C-shaped member 2 using a needle of a needle-attached thread and tied thereto. As another method, the thread 3 may be adhered to the end of the C-shaped member 2 with an adhesive, or the thread 3 may be inserted into a through hole provided at the end of the C-shaped member 2 and tied thereto. The above is the flow of the manufacturing method for the angle protector 1.

[0022] Next, the positional relationship between the angle protector 1 according to the embodiment and the angle will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. As shown in Figure 2, the cornea is located at the very front of the eyeball, and the crystalline lens is located behind the pupil inside the eye. The area surrounded by the cornea and the crystalline lens is divided into the anterior chamber and the posterior chamber by the iris, both of which are filled with aqueous humor.

[0023] Aqueous humor is produced in the ciliary body and flows through the pupil into the anterior chamber to provide nutrition to the cornea and lens. It is then filtered by the trabecular meshwork in the angle between the cornea and the iris, and in dogs, is discharged from the scleral venous plexus into the veins. The C-shaped member 2 of the angle protector 1 is placed between the cornea and the iris at the angle to prevent foreign bodies from entering the angle with the aqueous humor. As shown in Figure 3, a part of the thread 3 connected to the C-shaped member 2 is left outside the incision site of the cornea. The thread 3 that is outside can be used to remove the C-shaped member 2 from inside the eye.

[0024] Next, a series of steps will be described for cataract surgery performed by an surgeon on a target dog using the angle protector 1 according to the embodiment. The target dog is examined preoperatively to determine whether it is in a suitable condition for surgery, and is administered general anesthesia immediately before the surgery.

[0025] First, the angle protector 1 is placed inside the eye. Specifically, an incision of about 2 to 3 mm is made along the limbus, and the C-shaped member 2 is inserted through this incision and placed near the trabecular meshwork of the angle. At this time, the thread 3 is set in a state where it is pulled out from the incision. Note that the incision on the eyeball is not limited to the limbus, and may be made on other parts of the cornea or the sclera.

[0026] Next, the viscoelastic agent is injected into the anterior chamber through the incision, and then phacoemulsification is performed. Specifically, an ultrasonic probe is inserted into the incision and operated to remove cloudy tissue from within the lens capsule. Next, an injector is used to deploy an intraocular lens into the lens capsule from which the cloudy tissue has been removed. At this time, because the angle is blocked by the C-shaped member 2, foreign bodies such as tissue fragments, floating cells, and the viscoelastic agent do not flow into the angle.

[0027] After the phacoemulsification procedure is completed, the angle protector 1 is removed from the angle. Specifically, the thread 3 protruding from the incision site is pulled, whereby the C-shaped member 2 can be pulled out from the incision site. This is the procedure for cataract surgery.

[0028] As described above, the angle protector 1 according to this embodiment includes the C-shaped member 2 that is placed in the angle through an incision site on the eyeball and is deformable to fit the shape of the angle while placed in the angle, and the thread 3 that is connected to one of the opposing ends of the C-shaped member 2 and can be pulled by a user to pull the C-shaped member 2 placed in the angle out of the incision site. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the angle during intraocular surgery.

[0029] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following modifications are possible.

[0030] (Modification) In the above embodiment, the C-shaped member 2 is a member cut from a solid rubber ring having a circular cross section, but the present invention is not limited to this. As long as it can close the corner, the C-shaped member 2 may have any shape, for example, its cross section may be elliptical. Also, its cross section may be hollow.

[0031] In the above embodiment, a gap exists between both ends of the C-shaped member 2 when no external force is applied, but the present invention is not limited to this. The both ends of the C-shaped member 2 may be in contact with each other when no external force is applied.

[0032] In the above embodiment, the C-shaped member 2 is provided with a pair of opposing end faces, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in order to facilitate the insertion and removal of the C-shaped member 2 from the incision site of the eyeball, the end of the C-shaped member 2 on the side to which the thread 3 is connected may be formed into a cone shape with a rounded apex. As shown in FIG. 4(a), the thread 3 may be connected so as to extend from the apex of the cone, or as shown in FIG. 4(b), a through hole 2b may be provided in the cone-shaped portion, and the thread 3 may be inserted into the through hole 2b and tied. In addition, the end of the C-shaped member 2 on the side to which the thread 3 is not connected may also be formed into a cone shape with a rounded apex.

[0033] In the above embodiment, the string 3 is used as the pulling member, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a rubber band or string may be used as the pulling member. The string 3 and the C-shaped member 2 may be integrally molded using the same material or different materials.

[0034] In the above embodiment, the C-shaped member 2 and the thread 3 are connected after being sterilized, but the present invention is not limited to this. After the C-shaped member 2 and the thread 3 are connected, they may be sterilized with high-temperature steam.

[0035] In the above embodiment, the angle protector 1 is applied to the eyeball of a dog, but the present invention is not limited to this. It may be applied to the eyeball of an animal other than a human, for example, a cat, or may be applied to a human eyeball.

[0036] The above-mentioned embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these, and various embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention described in the claims. The components described in the embodiments and modifications can be freely combined. In addition, inventions equivalent to the inventions described in the claims are also included in the present invention.

[0037] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0038] (Example) In the examples, cataract surgery was performed on dogs while protecting the corneal angle using an angle protector. The angle protector is as shown in FIG. 5. The angle protector was made by cutting an O-ring made of silicone rubber in the radial direction, sterilizing it with high-temperature steam, and then inserting a needle-attached suture into the cut end of the O-ring, removing the needle, and tying the suture. The outer diameter of the O-ring was within the range of 15 mm to 18 mm, and the diameter of its cross section was within the range of 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. The suture was USP8-0 nylon suture. Surgery was performed on 17 eyes of 12 dogs using the same surgical machine, and the incidence of postoperative glaucoma was 0%. According to previously published academic papers, the incidence of postoperative glaucoma is 16.8% or 18.8%, so it can be understood that the incidence of glaucoma can be significantly suppressed by using an angle protector. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 1 Corner protector 2 C-shaped member 2a Gap 2b Through hole 3. Thread

Claims

1. a C-shaped member that is placed in the angle through an incision in the eyeball and that is deformable to conform to the shape of the angle when placed in the angle; a traction member connected to one of the opposing ends of the C-shaped member and capable of being pulled by a user to pull the C-shaped member placed at the angle out of the incision site; A corner protector equipped with

2. The end of the C-shaped member to which the towing member is connected is formed in a cone shape with a rounded apex. The angle protector according to claim 1.

3. A method for manufacturing the angle protector according to claim 1 or 2, comprising the steps of: providing the C-shaped member and the pulling member; connecting the traction member to the end of the C-shaped member; A manufacturing method comprising:

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