Implantable Pump With Wireless Power For Glaucoma Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current glaucoma drainage devices face challenges with scarring at the outflow site, leading to elevated intraocular pressure due to immune response, which reduces their efficacy over time.
Innovation Solution
An implantable assembly with a pump coupled to a passive flow structure, powered externally via wireless power transfer, forces aqueous humor drainage and pharmaceutical delivery on-demand, preventing scarring and maintaining pressure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a passive drainage tube is implanted to drain aqueous humor, then intraocular pressure is reduced, but scarring at the outflow site stops drainage over time
Solution Approach 1:
The pump is activated intermittently at scheduled intervals to periodically flush the outflow site and prevent scarring formation, maintaining drainage function over extended periods through repeated brief activation cycles rather than continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous drainage capability by combining the passive flow structure with periodic pump activation, ensuring the outflow site remains patent through repeated flushing actions that prevent scar tissue accumulation over time
2Productivity
If a pump is implanted to force aqueous humor drainage, then drainage rate is controlled, but an implanted power source is required
Solution Approach 1:
The power source is extracted from the implantable pump and placed in an external wearable device, leaving only the pump mechanism and flow structure implanted in the eye, thereby simplifying the implant while maintaining controlled drainage capability
Solution Approach 2:
A wireless power transmission system acts as an intermediary between the external power source and the implanted pump, enabling energy transfer without physical connection or implanted battery, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining functional control
3Reliability
If pharmaceutical agents are delivered continuously, then intraocular pressure is controlled, but scarring occurs at the outflow site
Solution Approach 1:
Pharmaceutical agents are delivered through the pump in periodic bursts at scheduled intervals rather than continuously, providing sufficient pressure control while reducing cumulative exposure that leads to scarring and fibrosis at the outflow site
Solution Approach 2:
The system delivers pharmaceutical agents at partial doses interspersed with flush intervals, providing just enough medication to control pressure while allowing rest periods that prevent scarring, rather than maintaining constant high-dose delivery
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 solution prolongs the effectiveness of glaucoma drainage therapy by intermittently controlling intraocular pressure and preventing scarring, ensuring continuous drainage and targeted pharmaceutical delivery without the need for an implanted power source.
Implementation Method 1
powered directly from a wireless power transfer source that is external to the person and that is brought into proximity with the eye
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable assembly for managing eye disease has a passive flow structure to drain aqueous humor, AH, and a pump coupled to the passive flow structure to force the AH through the passive flow structure. The pump is configured to be activated, to thereby accelerate drainage of the AH through the passive flow structure, only when powered directly from a wireless power transfer source that is external to the eye and that is brought into proximity with the eye. Other aspects are also described and claimed.