Method and apparatus for injecting viscous fluid into the eye to lift pre-retinal and post-retinal membrane with linear pressure control

Claim 1

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in the spaces between the retina and a proliferate disease membrane comprising: an injection device having a pneumatic output and a control transducer, said injection device controlling the pressure of pressurized gas having a pneumatic pressure at said pneumatic output based on the position of said control transducer; a pneumatic tube coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneumatic output by said pneumatic tube and having a filter output; and a sterile syringe pneumatically coupled to said filter output, said syringe having a sterile passageway formed therein with a sterile piston dividing said sterile passageway into at least first and second separate passageways with a sterile hollow needle in fluid communication with said first passageway, said pressurized gas in fluid communication with said second passageway, said syringe storing in said first passageway a sterile viscous material.

Claim 2

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in the spaces between the retina and a proliferate disease membrane comprising: an injection device having a pneumatic output and a control transducer, said injection device controlling the pressure of pressurized gas having a pneumatic pressure at said pneumatic output based on the position of said control transducer; a pneumatic tube coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneumatic output by said pneumatic tube and having a filter output; and a sterile syringe pneumatically coupled to said filter output, said syringe having a sterile passageway formed therein with a sterile piston dividing said sterile passageway into at least first and second separate passageways with a sterile hollow needle in fluid communication with said first passageway, said pressurized gas in fluid communication with said second passageway, said syringe storing in said first passageway a sterile viscous material.

Claim 3

A method for injecting highly viscous material into an eye in the spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: generating pneumatic pressure with an injection device having a pneumatic output coupling pneumatic pressure to a sterile syringe containing a sterile, highly viscous fluid and a control transducer which controls the pneumatic pressure at said pneumatic output; placing the tip of a needle on said syringe between a retina and a proliferative disease membrane; operating said control transducer such that sufficient pneumatic pressure is applied to said syringe for a duration sufficient to force enough of said highly viscous fluid between said retina and said proliferative disease membrane so as to lift said membrane far enough away from said retina as to allow severance of a connection between said retina and said proliferative disease membrane.

Claim 4

A method for injecting highly viscous material into an eye in the spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: generating pneumatic pressure with an injection device having a pneumatic output coupling pneumatic pressure to a sterile syringe containing a sterile, highly viscous fluid and a control transducer which controls the pneumatic pressure at said pneumatic output; placing the tip of a needle on said syringe between a retina and a proliferative disease membrane; operating said control transducer such that sufficient pneumatic pressure is applied to said syringe for a duration sufficient to force enough of said highly viscous fluid between said retina and said proliferative disease membrane so as to lift said membrane far enough away from said retina as to allow severance of a connection between said retina and said proliferative disease membrane.

Claim 7

A method of injecting viscous material into spaces between the retina and a membrane covering and attached to said retina in at least one point using a pneumatic injection unit having a pressure control for setting the maximum pneumatic pressure at a pneumatic output comprising the steps of: pneumatically coupling a syringe to said pneumatic output, said syringe having a hollow needle and a sharp point and storing a highly viscous material to be injected; establishing a predetermined fixed pressure so as to generate an acceptable flow rate of said viscous material at the existing temperature and viscosity conditions prior to any injection in an eye; and placing the tip of said needle at the position in the eye where the viscous material is to be injected; applying said pneumatic pressure until an amount of said viscous material has been injected between said retina and said membrane sufficient to separate and allow severing of a connection point between said retina and said membrane.

Claim 8

A method of injecting viscous material into spaces between the retina and a membrane covering and attached to said retina in at least one point using a pneumatic injection unit having a pressure control for setting the maximum pneumatic pressure at a pneumatic output comprising the steps of: pneumatically coupling a syringe to said pneumatic output, said syringe having a hollow needle and a sharp point and storing a highly viscous material to be injected; establishing a predetermined fixed pressure so as to generate an acceptable flow rate of said viscous material at the existing temperature and viscosity conditions prior to any injection in an eye; and placing the tip of said needle at the position in the eye where the viscous material is to be injected; applying said pneumatic pressure until an amount of said viscous material has been injected between said retina and said membrane sufficient to separate and allow severing of a connection point between said retina and said membrane.

Claim 9

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: a pressure control for indicating a desired pneumatic pressure; means coupled to said pressure control having a pneumatic output for outputting gas having variable pressure at said pneumatic output, said pneumatic pressure being a function of the setting of said pressure control; a pneumatic hose coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneumatic hose so as to filter particulates from any gas flowing in said pneumatic hose to provide a filtered stream of gas; a sterile syringe having a hollow needle with a sharp point, aid syringe pneumatically coupled to said sterile filter to receive said filtered stream of gas, said syringe storing a sterile material to be injected in a passageway formed by a piston in said syringe and said hollow needle; wherein said syringe has a hollow body having first and second ends and at least two projecting flanges extending away from said body at a point between said first and second ends, said hollow needle affixed to said end and in fluid communication with the inside cavity of said hollow body; wherein said syringe is coupled to said filter by a coupler having first, second, and third sections, said second section comprising a hollow passageway for receiving a projection portion of said syringe body between said at least two projecting flanges and said first end, said second section including a sealing means for forming a pneumatic seal between said projection portion of said syringe body and said second portion, said first section including means to engage to the at least two projecting flanges to form a mechanical connection to said syringe body, and said third section including means to form a pneumatic coupling to receive said filtered stream of gas from said filter; and wherein sodium hyaluronate is stored in said passageway of said syringe body between said piston and said hollow needle; and wherein said means for outputting gas at a variable pressure includes means for generating an output gas stream having a pressure which is a linear function of the setting of said pressure control.

Claim 10

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: a pressure control for indicating a desired pneumatic pressure; means coupled to said pressure control having a pneumatic output for outputting gas having variable pressure at said pneumatic output, said pneumatic pressure being a function of the setting of said pressure control; a pneumatic hose coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneumatic hose so as to filter particulates from any gas flowing in said pneumatic hose to provide a filtered stream of gas; a sterile syringe having a hollow needle with a sharp point, aid syringe pneumatically coupled to said sterile filter to receive said filtered stream of gas, said syringe storing a sterile material to be injected in a passageway formed by a piston in said syringe and said hollow needle; wherein said syringe has a hollow body having first and second ends and at least two projecting flanges extending away from said body at a point between said first and second ends, said hollow needle affixed to said end and in fluid communication with the inside cavity of said hollow body; wherein said syringe is coupled to said filter by a coupler having first, second, and third sections, said second section comprising a hollow passageway for receiving a projection portion of said syringe body between said at least two projecting flanges and said first end, said second section including a sealing means for forming a pneumatic seal between said projection portion of said syringe body and said second portion, said first section including means to engage to the at least two projecting flanges to form a mechanical connection to said syringe body, and said third section including means to form a pneumatic coupling to receive said filtered stream of gas from said filter; and wherein sodium hyaluronate is stored in said passageway of said syringe body between said piston and said hollow needle; and wherein said means for outputting gas at a variable pressure includes means for generating an output gas stream having a pressure which is a linear function of the setting of said pressure control.

Claim 12

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: a pressure control for indicating a desired pneumatic pressure; means coupled to said pressure control having a pneumatic output for outputting gas having variable pressure at said pneumatic output, said pneumatic pressure being a function of the setting of said pressure control; a pneumatic hose coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneumatic hose so as to filter particulates from any gas flowing in said pneumatic hose to generate a filtered stream of gas; a sterile syringe having a hollow needle with a sharp point, said syringe pneumatically coupled to said sterile filter to receive said filtered stream of gas, said syringe storing a sterile material to be injected in a passageway formed by a piston in said syringe and said hollow needle; and wherein said pressure control is a foot operated control coupled to said means for outputting gas having variable pressure and wherein said means for outputting gas having variable pressure further comprises means for applying a selectable level of pneumatic pressure to said piston of said syringe, said pressure being a linear function of the percentage of full scale deflection of said foot operated control.

Claim 13

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: a pressure control for indicating a desired pneumatic pressure; means coupled to said pressure control having a pneumatic output for outputting gas having variable pressure at said pneumatic output, said pneumatic pressure being a function of the setting of said pressure control; a pneumatic hose coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneumatic hose so as to filter particulates from any gas flowing in said pneumatic hose to generate a filtered stream of gas; a sterile syringe having a hollow needle with a sharp point, said syringe pneumatically coupled to said sterile filter to receive said filtered stream of gas, said syringe storing a sterile material to be injected in a passageway formed by a piston in said syringe and said hollow needle; and wherein said pressure control is a foot operated control coupled to said means for outputting gas having variable pressure and wherein said means for outputting gas having variable pressure further comprises means for applying a selectable level of pneumatic pressure to said piston of said syringe, said pressure being a linear function of the percentage of full scale deflection of said foot operated control.

Claim 14

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in the spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: pneumatic means having a pneumatic output and a control transducer for generating pneumatic pressure at said pneumatic output which is a linear function of the position of said control transducer; a pneumatic tube coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneuatmic output by said pneumatic tube and having a filter output; a sterile syringe pneumatically coupled to said filter output, said syringe having a sterile passageway formed therein with a sterile piston dividing said sterile passageway into at least first and second separate passageways and a sterile hollow needle in fluid communication with aid first passageway, said filter output in fluid communication with said second passageway, and said syringe storing in said first passageway a sterile viscous material.

Claim 15

An apparatus for injecting viscous material into an eye in the spaces between the retina and a proliferative disease membrane comprising: pneumatic means having a pneumatic output and a control transducer for generating pneumatic pressure at said pneumatic output which is a linear function of the position of said control transducer; a pneumatic tube coupled to said pneumatic output; a sterile filter coupled to said pneuatmic output by said pneumatic tube and having a filter output; a sterile syringe pneumatically coupled to said filter output, said syringe having a sterile passageway formed therein with a sterile piston dividing said sterile passageway into at least first and second separate passageways and a sterile hollow needle in fluid communication with aid first passageway, said filter output in fluid communication with said second passageway, and said syringe storing in said first passageway a sterile viscous material.

Claim 17

A method of injecting viscous material into an eye and spaces between the retina and a membrane attached to said retina at one or more points of attachment using a pneumatic unit having a variable pressure control and a foot operated pressure control transducer and having a pneumatic output coupled to a syringe having a needle with a sharp point, said syringe storing the material to be injected comprising the steps of: setting the desired maximum pneumatic output pressure by observing the flow rate of material from the tip of the needle of said syringe during a sample injection outside said body by setting said variable pressure control to a desired maximum pressure manipulating said foot operated pressure control transducer until the desired flow rate from the tip of said needle has been achieved; placing the tip of the needle at the location in the said eye where the injection is to be made and activating said foot operated pressure control transducer to some selected fraction of full scale deflection and observing the resulting injection of viscous fluid and the result it causes until sufficient viscous material has been injected to lift said membrane away from said retina a distance sufficient to allow one or more of said points of attachment to be severed without damage to said retina, and then manipulating said foot operated pressure control transducer so as to stop injection of said viscous material; and repeating the step next above at a plurality of other locations of said points of attachment if necessary.

Claim 18

A method of injecting viscous material into an eye and spaces between the retina and a membrane attached to said retina at one or more points of attachment using a pneumatic unit having a variable pressure control and a foot operated pressure control transducer and having a pneumatic output coupled to a syringe having a needle with a sharp point, said syringe storing the material to be injected comprising the steps of: setting the desired maximum pneumatic output pressure by observing the flow rate of material from the tip of the needle of said syringe during a sample injection outside said body by setting said variable pressure control to a desired maximum pressure manipulating said foot operated pressure control transducer until the desired flow rate from the tip of said needle has been achieved; placing the tip of the needle at the location in the said eye where the injection is to be made and activating said foot operated pressure control transducer to some selected fraction of full scale deflection and observing the resulting injection of viscous fluid and the result it causes until sufficient viscous material has been injected to lift said membrane away from said retina a distance sufficient to allow one or more of said points of attachment to be severed without damage to said retina, and then manipulating said foot operated pressure control transducer so as to stop injection of said viscous material; and repeating the step next above at a plurality of other locations of said points of attachment if necessary.