Trabecular Meshwork Extension Device for Glaucoma IOP Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for glaucoma, such as ocular drainage implants, often lack long-term efficacy due to fibrosis at the drainage site or system malfunction, which fails to effectively manage intraocular pressure (IOP) by enhancing aqueous humor outflow.
Innovation Solution
An extension device with a flexible body and tensioning features is inserted into the irideocorneal angle to extend and stretch the trabecular meshwork radially inward, decreasing resistance to aqueous humor outflow by widening intercellular spaces and opening collector channel ostia, thereby enhancing fluid drainage through the trabecular outflow pathway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If ocular drainage implants are used to enhance aqueous humor outflow, then intraocular pressure management is improved, but long-term efficacy deteriorates due to fibrosis at the drainage site or system malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the problematic drainage implant component and replaces it with a natural tissue extension approach. Instead of implanting foreign material that causes fibrosis, the procedure extends the patient's own trabecular meshwork tissue to create a new drainage pathway, eliminating the source of fibrotic complications while maintaining IOP control benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses an intermediary approach by creating a tunnel through the cornea and extending existing trabecular meshwork tissue rather than implanting foreign material. This intermediary tissue extension serves as a bridge between the anterior chamber and the drainage system, providing a biocompatible pathway that avoids fibrosis while enhancing aqueous humor outflow
2Productivity
If the trabecular meshwork is extended to increase surface area, then aqueous humor outflow is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extension device incorporates a dynamic mechanism that allows the implant to transition from a compressed delivery state to an expanded functional state. The device includes movable components that deploy the trabecular meshwork extension radially outward after implantation, enabling the structure to adapt its configuration for optimal drainage surface area while maintaining a simple delivery profile
Solution Approach 2:
The extension device uses a nested structure where the trabecular meshwork extension is contained within a delivery catheter during insertion. The device folds or compresses the extended meshwork tissue into a compact form that fits within the delivery system, then deploys it into its expanded functional configuration once positioned in the anterior chamber, reducing device complexity during delivery while maintaining high surface area for drainage
Data Source
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AI summary
Described herein is an extension device (250) to extend ocular tissue within an irideocorneal angle (204) of an eye of a patient, comprising a flexible body (252) and a plurality of tensioning features (290) disposed on the body. The body is sized and configured to be disposed within the irideocorneal angle. The body has a curved longitudinal axis (LA), a channel (280) extending from a first end to a second end (260), an inner convex side, and an outer concave side. The body is flexible between a first flexed condition and a second unflexed condition. The body has a first radius of curvature in the first flexed condition and a second radius of curvature in the unflexed condition. Each tensioning feature is shaped and sized to grasp the ocular tissue within the irideocorneal angle.