US5098443A — Method of implanting intraocular and intraorbital…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of implanting a device into an eye for the controlled release of intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents comprising: providing an implant having at least one pharmacological agent one of incorporated and encapsulated therewithin; providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting said implant within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said implant from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula; whereby said pharmacological agent is gradually released from said implant to the eye.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 142 words

A method of implanting a device into an eye for the controlled release of intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents comprising: providing an implant having at least one pharmacological agent one of incorporated and encapsulated therewithin; providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting said implant within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said implant from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula; whereby said pharmacological agent is gradually released from said implant to the eye.

Claim 3

Independent Claim 140 words

A method of implanting a device into an eye for the controlled release of intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents comprising: providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting an implant within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said implant from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula, the implant being inserted so as to be positioned intravitreally at the eye's equator so as to release said pharmacological agent into the eye's vitreous cavity.

Claim 4

Independent Claim 140 words

A method of implanting a device into an eye for the controlled release of intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents comprising: providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting an implant within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said implant from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula, the implant being inserted so as to be positioned intravitreally at the eye's equator so as to release said pharmacological agent into the eye's vitreous cavity.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

A method as in claim 1, wherein the implant is inserted so as to be disposed in an angle defined by the intersection of the eye's iris and cornea.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 1, wherein the implant is inserted so as to be disposed at an equator of the eye's lens capsular bag.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method as in claim 4, wherein the implant is introduced during an extracapsular procedure after removal of the eye's lens nucleus and cortex to release pharmacological agents for preventing lens epithelium proliferation.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as in claim 1, wherein the implant is positioned radially inwardly of the conjunctiva and releases antimitotic and/or other pharmacological agents.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 38 words

A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of mounting the implant comprises mounting an implantable device formed from a biodegradable polymer having a drug incorporated therein so that the biodegradation of the polymer releases the drug.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as in claim 7, wherein said steps of providing an implant, mounting said implant and ejecting said implant comprise providing, mounting and ejecting an implantable device which is substantially C-shaped once implanted.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 45 words

A method as in claim 1, wherein said step of mounting an implantable device comprises mounting a hollow flexible polymeric cocoon having a drug disposed interiorly of said polymeric cocoon, said drug being diffusible through the walls of said polymeric cocoon into tissue via osmosis.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 145 words

A method of implanting a device into an eye for the controlled release of intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents comprising: providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting an implant within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said implant from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula, the implant being disposed in surrounding relation to the exterior of the eye to provide therapeutic pharmacological agent release to orbital tissue, ocular muscles, sclera, and by diffusion into intraocular tissues.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 145 words

A method of implanting a device into an eye for the controlled release of intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents comprising: providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting an implant within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said implant from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula, the implant being disposed in surrounding relation to the exterior of the eye to provide therapeutic pharmacological agent release to orbital tissue, ocular muscles, sclera, and by diffusion into intraocular tissues.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as in claim 10, wherein the implant is sized so that first and second ends thereof overlap to serve as a buckle structure.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 155 words

A method of controllably releasing intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents into an eye comprising: making an implantable device for the controlled intraocular and intraorbital release of pharmacological agents, including providing a biodegradable polymer having a drug incorporated therein and forming said polymer into a C-shaped ring, providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting said C-shaped ring within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said C-shaped ring from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula; whereby said pharmacological agent is gradually released from said implant to the eye.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 155 words

A method of controllably releasing intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents into an eye comprising: making an implantable device for the controlled intraocular and intraorbital release of pharmacological agents, including providing a biodegradable polymer having a drug incorporated therein and forming said polymer into a C-shaped ring, providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula, said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting said C-shaped ring within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said C-shaped ring from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula; whereby said pharmacological agent is gradually released from said implant to the eye.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 75 words

A method as in claim 12, wherein said step of making further includes the steps of: providing a drug to be delivered by the implantable device in powder form; providing a polymer for forming the device in one of powder form and liquid form; mixing the powder drug and polymer; and processing said mixture into a C-ring shaped implant by one of solvent casting and thermal forming through one of compression and injection molding techniques.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method as in claim 12, further comprising the steps of covalently bonding the drug to a polymer backbone for the implant via water soluble or hydrolyzable organic links whereby release of the drug occurs by a biodegradation of said organic links.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method as in claim 12, further comprising forming covalent bonds between the polymer and drug molecules so as to create a polymeric drug system such that polymeric degradation releases the drug.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 159 words

A method of controllably releasing intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents into an eye comprising: forming an implantable device including forming a hollow flexible polymeric cocoon shaped as a C-ring and filling said polymeric cocoon with a pharmacological agent which is diffusible through the wall of said polymeric cocoon by osmosis; providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula; said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting said C-shaped ring within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said C-shaped ring from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula; whereby said pharmacological agent is gradually released from said implant to the eye.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 159 words

A method of controllably releasing intraocular and intraorbital pharmacological agents into an eye comprising: forming an implantable device including forming a hollow flexible polymeric cocoon shaped as a C-ring and filling said polymeric cocoon with a pharmacological agent which is diffusible through the wall of said polymeric cocoon by osmosis; providing an inserter including a cannula having a first end and second end and a passage defined therethrough from said first end to said second end; mounting a syringe to said first end of said cannula; said syringe including a plunger and a piston extending forwardly therefrom into said passage of said cannula; mounting said C-shaped ring within said passage forwardly of said piston whereby movement of said piston relative to said cannula ejects said C-shaped ring from said cannula; inserting said cannula into an incision in the eye; and ejecting said implant from said cannula; whereby said pharmacological agent is gradually released from said implant to the eye.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-03-24	1995-09-23	1996-03-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-03-24	1999-09-23	2000-03-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-03-24	2003-09-23	2004-03-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method of implanting intraocular and intraorbital implantable devices for the controlled release of pharmacological agents

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