Methods for forming an opening in the trabecular meshwork of the eye of a patient

摘要

Methods and devices for cutting strips of tissue from masses of tissue inside or outside of the bodies of human or animal subjects. The device generally comprises a) an elongate cutting tube that has a distal end and a lumen that opens through an opening in the distal end and b) first and second cutting edges formed on generally opposite edges of the distal end of the cutting tube and separated by a distance D. The device is advanced through tissue to cut a strip of tissue of approximate width W. Width W is approximaely equal to distance D.

主权项

1. An ab interno method for forming an opening in trabecular meshwork of a patient's eye, said method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a dual blade device which comprises a) an elongate proximal portion sized to be grasped by a hand of a human operator and b) an elongate probe extending from the proximal portion, wherein the elongate probe comprises i) a shaft, ii) a distal protruding tip that extends from a distal end of the shaft to form a bend or curve having an angle of at least 30 degrees, said distal protruding tip being sized to be inserted in Schlemm's Canal and iii) first and second cutting edges located at a junction of the shaft and the distal protruding tip, said first and second cutting edges being formed at spaced-apart locations on the distal end of the shaft, said first and second cutting edges being separated by a distance D; forming an opening into an anterior chamber of the eye; inserting the elongate probe through the opening and into the anterior chamber; advancing the elongate probe through the anterior chamber, while the anterior chamber is filled with fluid, to an operative position where the distal protruding tip is positioned within Schlemm's Canal and the first and second cutting edges are contacting the trabecular meshwork; and, thereafter causing the distal protruding tip to advance through a sector of Schlemm's Canal with the first and second cutting edges concurrently cutting, from the trabecular meshwork, a strip of tissue having approximate width W, said approximate width W being approximately equal to the distance D between the first and second cutting edges.