Syringe Dose Dock for Precise Subretinal Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods struggle to deliver therapeutic agents in a highly localized fashion to the subretinal layer of the eye, particularly for treating macular degeneration, due to the difficulty in accessing the macula beneath the delicate retina layer.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with a flexible cannula and slidable needle is used to administer therapeutic agents via a suprachoroidal approach, allowing for atraumatic insertion between the sclera and choroid, followed by precise delivery to the subretinal space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a needle is inserted directly into the subretinal space, then therapeutic agents can be delivered precisely to the target location, but the risk of trauma to the delicate retina and difficulty of access increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dosing dock as an intermediary device that couples the syringe to the needle assembly. This dock provides a stable interface that allows precise control of needle insertion depth and therapeutic agent delivery to the subretinal space without direct manual manipulation, thereby reducing trauma risk while maintaining delivery precision
Solution Approach 2:
The needle assembly is pre-loaded with the therapeutic agent in a syringe before insertion. The dosing dock is prepared with depth markings and coupling mechanisms in advance, allowing the surgeon to perform the procedure with minimal manipulation inside the eye, reducing trauma while ensuring precise delivery to the target location
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible cannula is used to access the subretinal space, then the path of insertion becomes more adaptable to eye anatomy, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into distinct segments: a flexible cannula for access, a dosing dock for control, and a needle assembly for delivery. Each segment can be independently manipulated and positioned, allowing the flexible cannula to adapt to eye anatomy while the rigid dock provides stable control, managing overall device complexity through modular design
3Device complexity
If manual syringe injection is used without a dosing dock, then the device is simpler, but the precision and consistency of therapeutic agent delivery to the subretinal space decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing dock serves as a mediator between the simple syringe and the needle assembly. It provides depth markings, coupling mechanisms, and control features that ensure consistent and precise delivery of the therapeutic agent to the subretinal space, while still allowing the use of standard syringes to maintain relative simplicity
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a body, a flexible cannula, and a needle. The needle is resiliently biased to extend along at least one proximal curve through least one proximal curved needle portion. The needle is resiliently biased to extend along at least one distal curve through at least one distal curved needle portion. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes a main body portion including a proximal channel configured to receive a plunger of a syringe, and a stop surface configured to selectively engage the plunger of the syringe to arrest distal advancement of the plunger. The apparatus also includes first and second deflectable beams configured to cooperate with each other to securely grip the barrel of the syringe, and first and second deflectable flanges configured to cooperate with each other to grip the barrel of the syringe.