Glaucoma Shunt Anchoring for Minimally Invasive Pressure Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for glaucoma, such as prescription eye-drops, oral medications, and invasive surgeries, fail to effectively manage intraocular pressure without causing significant discomfort or requiring surgical intervention.
Innovation Solution
A minimally invasive glaucoma shunt with an elongate body, umbrella-shaped structure, and anchors is designed to be inserted into the eye, allowing for passive drainage of aqueous humour through a lumen, anchored by the umbrella and anchors to prevent migration, thereby reducing intraocular pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive surgery is used to treat glaucoma, then intraocular pressure can be reduced, but patient discomfort and surgical risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical invasive surgical systems with a minimally invasive shunt device that can be inserted through a small incision. The shunt uses a flexible elongate body with a lumen for fluid drainage, eliminating the need for extensive surgical intervention while maintaining effective intraocular pressure reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The shunt device employs a flexible elongate body with an outer surface and inner surface that can navigate the eye's anatomy without causing significant trauma. The flexibility of the shunt allows it to be inserted minimally invasively while maintaining its structural integrity for effective aqueous humor drainage.
2Productivity
If a shunt device is inserted into the eye, then aqueous humor drainage is achieved, but device migration may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The shunt device is segmented into distinct functional components: an elongate body for fluid transport, an umbrella-shaped structure for anchoring, and anchors for securing the device. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively preventing device migration.
Solution Approach 2:
The umbrella-shaped structure extends laterally from the elongate body in a direction perpendicular to the main axis, creating a three-dimensional anchoring mechanism. This lateral extension provides dimensional stability by engaging with surrounding ocular tissues in multiple directions, preventing both axial and radial migration.
3Ease of operation
If the shunt remains fully visible, then device function can be monitored, but patient comfort and cosmetic appearance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The shunt device has differentiated surface properties with an inner surface and outer surface that can have different characteristics. The outer surface can be designed to be less visible or more biocompatible with surrounding tissues, while the inner surface optimizes for fluid drainage function, allowing localized optimization of different device regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shunt effectively decreases intraocular pressure, preventing migration and providing a non-invasive treatment option for glaucoma, including primary and secondary open-angle glaucoma, while allowing for potential drug delivery and combination with other treatments.
Implementation Method 1
allowing for passive drainage of aqueous humour through a lumen
Data Source
AI summary
Glaucoma shunts comprising an elongate body with an outer surface and an inner surface, the elongate body comprising an inner wall that defines a lumen spanning a length of the elongate body are disclosed herein. Also disclosed are methods of decreasing intraocular pressure in an eye, the method comprising inserting at least a portion of a glaucoma shunt into an anterior chamber of the eye, and draining aqueous humour from the anterior chamber through the lumen.