Bleb-Control Glaucoma Shunts With Flexible Segmented Strips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing glaucoma implants, such as the Baerveldt shunt, face issues with fibrotic encapsulation and bleb growth due to hydrostatic pressure, leading to increased intraocular pressure and potential tissue damage, as they are rigid and prone to scar tissue formation.
Innovation Solution
A strip-like glaucoma shunt design with parallel or divergent strips, made of a softer material, reduces rigidity and stress on surrounding tissue, incorporating anti-fibrotic coatings or drug elution, and is inserted using a specialized inserter to minimize deformation and facilitate implantation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid plate design is used in glaucoma shunts, then structural stability is improved, but fibrotic encapsulation and bleb growth increase due to high stress on surrounding tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional rigid plate with a flexible strip-like structure made of soft material (less than 40 Shore A). This flexible design reduces stress concentration on surrounding tissue while maintaining structural integrity, thereby preventing fibrotic encapsulation and controlling bleb growth. The strip configuration allows the implant to conform to tissue contours, distributing mechanical stress more evenly throughout the contact area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the traditional monolithic plate into multiple parallel strips (at least two strips). This segmentation reduces the overall surface area in contact with tissue while maintaining structural support. The separated strip configuration prevents continuous fibrotic encapsulation by creating gaps that reduce stress concentration, while still providing adequate drainage function through the connected drainage tube.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid plate design is used in glaucoma shunts, then structural stability is improved, but bleb growth is promoted due to increased tension stresses on the bleb forming tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible strip design reduces hydrostatic pressure transmission to the bleb forming tissue. The soft material (less than 40 Shore A) allows the bleb to expand and contract with intraocular pressure changes without generating excessive tension stresses, thereby controlling bleb growth while maintaining structural stability for drainage function.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented strip configuration creates multiple smaller contact points with tissue rather than a single large plate. This segmentation reduces the total surface area transmitting hydrostatic pressure to the bleb, thereby reducing tension stresses on the bleb forming tissue and controlling bleb growth while maintaining adequate drainage through the connected tube.
3Productivity
If a larger plate surface area is used, then drainage function is improved, but tissue stress and scar formation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves adequate drainage function through multiple parallel strips rather than a single large plate. The segmented configuration provides sufficient total surface area for drainage while distributing tissue stress across multiple separated contact points, thereby reducing scar formation and tissue stress compared to a single large plate of equivalent drainage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible strip design maintains adequate drainage surface area while reducing tissue stress through the soft material properties. The flexible configuration allows the strips to conform to tissue contours, distributing mechanical stress evenly across the contact area, thereby preventing tissue stress and scar formation while maintaining effective drainage function.
Data Source
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AI summary
An implantable glaucoma shunt for treating glaucoma in an eye is disclosed herein. The glaucoma shunt may comprise a plurality of strips adapted to be positioned on a sclera of the eye and an elastomeric drainage tube having an outflow end connected to the plurality of strips and an opening thereof. The drainage tube may have an open lumen and a length sufficient to extend into the anterior chamber of the eye. The plurality of strips may be substantially parallel with one another or the plurality of strips may diverge from one another. In an embodiment, the disclosed glaucoma shunt may be manufactured by removing material from a prior-art type glaucoma shunt. The disclosed glaucoma shunt may be inserted via an insertion tool.