Suprachoroidal Injection Depth Control With Force-Responsive Seals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for suprachoroidal drug delivery are invasive, inconsistent, and challenging due to varying scleral thickness, often resulting in incorrect placement or damage to the retina, and require precise targeting to achieve therapeutic concentrations in the posterior segment of the eye.

Innovation Solution

An injection system with a syringe barrel and moveable sealing elements that self-adjust the depth of the puncture element based on tissue resistance, ensuring precise delivery into the suprachoroidal space by preventing proximal movement of the first sealing element and allowing injection only when the puncture element reaches the target space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a micropuncture element with predefined length is used for suprachoroidal injection, then the risk of penetrating through the sclera is reduced, but the injection precision is worsened due to varying scleral thickness requiring trial and error

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverisk of retinal damageVSAvoidinjection depth precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The puncture element is designed with a movable first sealing element that can dynamically adjust its position along the puncture element's length. This allows the system to adapt to varying scleral thicknesses in real-time, enabling precise targeting of the suprachoroidal space without requiring predefined fixed-length puncture elements or trial-and-error approaches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the mechanical trial-and-error insertion method with a sensing and actuation system that uses force feedback to detect tissue boundaries and automatically positions the first sealing element at the optimal injection depth, substituting operator skill-based mechanics with an automated sensing system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Force

If force is applied to advance the puncture element through tissue, then penetration capability is improved, but the risk of injecting into the vitreous increases due to excessive penetration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepenetration forceVSAvoidinjection site accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates force sensing that provides real-time feedback on tissue resistance during puncture element advancement. When the first sealing element detects the characteristic force profile indicating entry into the suprachoroidal space, it automatically stops advancement, preventing excessive penetration into the vitreous while ensuring sufficient force was applied to penetrate the sclera

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The first sealing element autonomously regulates its own position and the puncture element's depth by sensing tissue forces and self-adjusting, eliminating the need for external control or operator intervention to prevent over-penetration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Strength

If the sclera is pierced with high stiffness resistance, then the puncture element can penetrate the tissue, but the injection force required increases making the procedure more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue penetration capabilityVSAvoidinjection ease

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The first sealing element acts as an intermediary between the operator and the scleral tissue, mechanically amplifying the applied force and distributing it evenly along the puncture element. This mediation reduces the peak force required to penetrate the stiff sclera while maintaining effective penetration capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Quantity of substance

If a hollow micropuncture element is used for suprachoroidal delivery, then drug delivery to posterior segment is achieved, but the procedure requires surgical setting and precise targeting

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrug delivery capabilityVSAvoidprocedure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The injection system autonomously performs targeting and depth control through the first sealing element's force-sensing and self-positioning capabilities, eliminating the need for surgical-grade precision equipment or complex imaging guidance systems while maintaining accurate suprachoroidal drug delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12582781B2Injection systems and methods of their use

Publication Date: 2026.03.24 MEIRAGTX OCULAR UK LIMITED

AI summary

An injection system comprising a syringe barrel; a first sealing element and a second sealing element moveably disposed in the syringe barrel; an injection chamber between them; a puncture element extending from the first sealing element to deliver an injection agent from the injection chamber into a biological space, wherein one or more of the syringe barrel, the first or the second sealing element are configured to prevent proximal movement of the first sealing element past a pre-selected location, while allowing the second sealing element to come in contact with the first sealing element, the system is configured such that, when a force is applied on the second sealing element in a distal direction, in response to a first opposing force, the puncture element advances and in response to a second opposing force, the puncture element remains stationary and the injection agent is conveyed through the puncture element.