Irido-Corneal Angle Laser System for Glaucoma Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current laser surgery treatments for glaucoma, such as Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty, Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, and Excimer Laser Trabeculostomy, face limitations including tissue scarring, invasive procedures, and lack of control over intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction, making them less effective and repeatable.
Innovation Solution
An integrated surgical system combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging and a femtosecond laser to deliver precise beams through the cornea and anterior chamber to the irido-corneal angle, reducing pathway resistance by creating new outflow pathways with minimal tissue disruption, allowing for non-invasive and repeatable IOP reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional laser surgery treatments (Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty, Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty, Excimer Laser Trabeculostomy) are used to treat glaucoma, then intraocular pressure can be reduced, but tissue scarring occurs and the procedures become invasive with limited repeatability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical laser surgery approaches with a non-invasive ultrasound-based system. The ultrasound device creates microbubbles that mechanically disrupt trabecular meshwork tissue to open outflow pathways without requiring direct laser contact or thermal ablation, thereby eliminating tissue scarring while maintaining treatment effectiveness and repeatability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces microbubbles as an intermediary medium between the ultrasound source and the trabecular meshwork tissue. These microbubbles serve as force amplifiers that transfer acoustic energy to mechanically disrupt tissue blockages, enabling non-invasive treatment without direct energy application to the tissue, thus avoiding scarring
2Ease of operation
If traditional laser surgery treatments are used, then outflow pathways can be modified, but the procedures are invasive requiring direct tissue interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into a single non-invasive device: ultrasound delivery, microbubble generation, real-time imaging, and treatment monitoring are all combined in one system. This multi-functional approach simplifies the overall treatment process by eliminating the need for separate surgical instruments while managing device complexity through integrated control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in acoustic parameters (frequency, intensity, pulse duration) of the ultrasound waves to achieve different treatment effects. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system can selectively disrupt blocked outflow pathways while leaving surrounding healthy tissue intact, enabling non-invasive treatment without requiring complex surgical intervention
3Measurement precision
If traditional laser treatments are applied, then some control over IOP reduction is achieved, but precise control over the degree of pressure reduction is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates real-time feedback through integrated imaging that monitors the state of the trabecular meshwork and outflow pathways during treatment. This feedback allows the system to adjust ultrasound parameters dynamically to achieve precise control over the degree of tissue disruption and corresponding IOP reduction, ensuring optimal treatment effectiveness while avoiding over-treatment
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 system achieves precise and repeatable reduction of intraocular pressure with minimal tissue scarring, providing a non-invasive solution for glaucoma treatment by creating new outflow pathways with high precision and long-term effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
delivering each of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) beam and a laser beam
Implementation Method 2
applying the laser beam to ocular tissue defining the volume to thereby cause photo-disruptive interaction with the ocular tissue
Data Source
AI summary
Intraocular pressure in an eye is reduced by delivering each of a high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) beam and a high resolution laser beam through the cornea, and the anterior chamber into the irido-corneal angle along an angled beam path. The OCT beam provides OCT imaging for diagnostic purposes and surgery planning and monitoring, while the laser beam is configured to modify tissue. A volume of ocular tissue within an outflow pathway in the irido-corneal angle is modified to reduce a pathway resistance present in one or more of the trabecular meshwork, the Schlemm's canal, and the one or more collector channels by applying the laser beam to ocular tissue defining the volume to thereby cause photo-disruptive interaction with the ocular tissue to reduce the pathway resistance or create a new outflow pathway.