Punctal Plugs with Threaded Anchors for Lacrimal Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for delivering therapeutic agents to the eye are inefficient, often resulting in low concentration and systemic side effects, and are difficult to administer due to stinging sensations, poor compliance, and anatomical challenges with punctal plug placement.
Innovation Solution
The development of lacrimal inserts with specific configurations, including elongated main bodies with reservoirs, collarettes, and head sections, designed for easy insertion and long-term stability, featuring offset distal ends and threads for improved anchoring, to facilitate controlled release of therapeutic agents into the eye.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional eye drops are used for delivering therapeutic agents to the eye, then the active agent can penetrate through the cornea, conjunctiva or sclera, but the delivery is inefficient with substantial portion lost due to overflow and dilution, resulting in low concentration and systemic side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drug delivery function from conventional eye drops by using punctal plugs that are inserted into the lacrimal punctum to bypass the overflow and dilution problems. The plugs directly deliver therapeutic agents into the lacrimal canaliculus, eliminating the loss due to overflow onto the cheek and dilution in the lacrimal lake.
Solution Approach 2:
The punctal plug acts as an intermediary device between the drug reservoir and the lacrimal canaliculus. It provides a controlled interface for drug delivery, allowing the therapeutic agent to be delivered directly into the canaliculus without the intermediate step of applying drops to the ocular surface, thereby preventing overflow and dilution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If punctal plugs are used for customized delivery of active agents, then dosage and duration can be controlled, but placement and anchoring in the puncta present difficulties due to unique individual eye anatomy
Solution Approach 1:
The punctal plug incorporates an asymmetric design with a collarette at one end and a rounded dome at the other end. This asymmetry provides directional guidance during insertion, with the collarette leading the way and the rounded dome following, making the placement process easier and more consistent across different anatomies.
Solution Approach 2:
The rounded dome configuration at one end of the punctal plug facilitates smooth insertion through the lacrimal punctum. The curved surface allows the plug to navigate the anatomical variations in the punctal opening more easily compared to a sharp or angular design, improving ease of placement while maintaining customized delivery capabilities.
3Reliability
If eye drops are administered topically, then active agents can reach therapeutic concentration levels inside the eye, but patients often do not use them as prescribed due to stinging sensation, difficulty in self-administration, and reflex to protect the eye
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stinging sensation problem by bypassing the ocular surface application method. Instead of applying drops that contact the cornea and trigger protective reflexes, the punctal plug delivers the drug directly into the lacrimal canaliculus, eliminating the stinging sensation and improving patient compliance while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.
Solution Approach 2:
The punctal plug serves as an intermediary that eliminates the direct contact between the drug and the sensitive ocular surface. By delivering the therapeutic agent through the lacrimal punctum and into the canaliculus, the plug mediates the drug delivery process to avoid triggering the protective reflex and stinging sensation associated with topical eye drop application.
Data Source
AI summary
Punctal plugs for delivering therapeutic agents have a body, a portion into which the therapeutic agent is held, a winding about the body, and an enlarged portion or anchor at an end.