Device for deploying a flexible implant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10610349-B2
Application number	US-201113808486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2011
Priority date	Jul 5, 2010
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

The invention relates to devices and methods for deploying an implant. Preferably the device (10) deploys a flexible implant in an eye. In one embodiment, the device comprises a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end is constructed and arranged to cause said implant to be flexed into a curved configuration when in a carried position and the device is configured to urge said flexed implant from said carried position to a deployed position. Embodiments with removable tips (13) and wheel actuators (14) are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sub-retinal, flexible implant-deploying device, said device comprising:
a distal end having a distal tip; and
a proximal end, wherein:
said distal end comprises an opening to accept an inserted flexible implant and constructed and arranged to cause said flexible implant to be flexed into a curved configuration forming a flexed implant when in a carried position, and to deploy the flexed implant from said opening into a sub-retinal space;
a longitudinal axis of said proximal end and a longitudinal axis of said distal end form an angle of between 200 and 700;
said proximal end comprises an actuator connected to a flexible urging member that, when actuated, causes said flexible urging member to urge said flexed implant from said carried position to a deployed position via the distal end;
said actuator is a wheel rotatable toward or away from the distal tip, wherein rotational movement of said actuator causes linear movement of said implant; and
a proximal end of said flexible urging member is secured to the wheel, and wherein rotational movement of said wheel winds or unwinds said flexible urging member around said wheel.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said distal end comprises a longitudinal axis and walls curved in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the distal end, said walls defining the opening at the distal end.

3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein said opening is angled away from a plane perpendicular to a direction of insertion and/or deployment of the flexible implant.

4. A device according to claim 2 , wherein said walls curved in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the distal end cause said flexible implant to curve in a direction generally transverse to the direction in which said flexed implant is deployed.

5. A device according to claim 2 , wherein, when said implant is in said carried position or when said implant is urged from said carried position to a deployed position, said walls restrict movement of said implant in a direction generally transverse to the direction in which said implant is deployed.

6. A device according to claim 2 , wherein said walls are arranged to guide said implant as it moves from said carried position to a deployed position, or vice versa.

7. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the angle is between 30° and 50°.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein said urging member is a wire.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said urging member is a coiled wire.

10. A device according to claim 1 , wherein said distal end comprises a guiding means arranged to guide said urging member.

11. A device according to claim 10 , wherein said guiding means is a groove extending along at least a portion of an interior wall of the distal end of the device.

12. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the distal tip is removably attachable to the proximal end.

13. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the proximal end comprises a handle.

14. A combination of:
an implant wherein the implant is flexible, substantially planar, substantially flat and comprises stem cells, a drug, or radioactive material; and
a device according to claim 1 ;

wherein the implant is inserted into the device, thereby forming a flexed implant.

15. The device according to claim 1 wherein the angle is between 40° and 50°.

16. The device according to claim 1 wherein the angle is between 30° and 50°.

17. A combination of:
an implant wherein the implant is flexible, substantially planar, substantially flat; and
a device according to claim 1 ;

wherein the implant is inserted into the device, thereby forming a flexed implant.

Assignees

• Coffey Peter
• Da Cruz Lyndon
• Cheetham Karen
• Ucl Business Ltd

Inventors

• Coffey Peter
• Da Cruz Lyndon
• Cheetham Karen

Classifications

• A61F9/0017

  implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts · CPC title

• A61K9/0051

  Ocular inserts or implants · CPC title

• A61F2/14 Primary

  Eye parts, e.g. lenses or corneal implants; Artificial eyes · CPC title

• A61F9/007 Primary

  Methods or devices for eye surgery · CPC title