Ab Interno Trabeculotomy Device for Glaucoma Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glaucoma treatments, such as trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage device implantation, involve significant trauma to the eye, require surgical skill, and are limited by wound healing and scarring, leading to moderate success rates and potential complications like infection and visual loss.
Innovation Solution
An ab interno method for trabeculotomy using a device inserted into Schlemm's canal, allowing for the creation of a pathway for aqueous humor drainage without the need for conjunctival or scleral incisions, utilizing a microcatheter or similar device to access and rupture the trabecular meshwork from within the anterior chamber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional glaucoma surgery (trabeculectomy or drainage device implantation) is performed, then intraocular pressure can be reduced, but significant trauma to the eye occurs and wound healing complications arise
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional surgical approach by performing trabeculotomy from inside the anterior chamber (ab interno) rather than from outside the eye (ab externo). This reversal eliminates the need for conjunctival and scleral incisions, directly addressing the harm of surgical trauma while maintaining the therapeutic effect of intraocular pressure reduction through trabecular meshwork disruption
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential therapeutic function (trabecular meshwork disruption) from the harmful surgical components (conjunctival and scleral incisions). By using a microcatheter delivered through a small corneal incision to rupture the trabecular meshwork from within Schlemm's canal, the procedure removes the source of surgical trauma while preserving the pressure-lowering effect
2Reliability
If traditional glaucoma surgery is performed, then aqueous humor drainage pathway can be created, but surgical skill and complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a nested structure where the trabeculotomy device is contained within a microcatheter, which is delivered through a small corneal incision. This nested delivery system simplifies the surgical procedure by allowing the complex trabeculotomy function to be introduced through a minimal access point, reducing surgical skill requirements compared to traditional open surgery
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex mechanical surgical dissection with a simpler catheter-based system. Instead of requiring skilled manual dissection of conjunctiva and sclera to access Schlemm's canal, the microcatheter system mechanically navigates to the target and delivers the trabeculotomy function through minimal manual intervention
3Reliability
If traditional glaucoma surgery is performed, then drainage pathway can be established, but recovery time is extended due to wound healing
Solution Approach 1:
By inverting the surgical approach to work from inside the anterior chamber rather than outside the eye, the procedure eliminates the need for wound healing of conjunctival and scleral incisions. This reversal directly reduces recovery time while maintaining effective drainage pathway creation through the trabecular meshwork
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the claimed invention are directed to the treatment of glaucoma (or conditions of elevated intraocular pressure) using a novel ab interno trabeculotomy procedure that uses a flexible device. At least one advantage of the present method is that it does not require a conjunctival or scleral incision, which in turn improves patient recovery time and healing.