OCULAR IMPLANT DELIVERY ASSEMBLIES WITH DISTAL CAPS

摘要

Ocular implant delivery assemblies (10) are provided which include a cannula (12) having a lumen (14) extending therethrough, a proximal end (16), a proximal end opening (18), a distal end (22), a distal end opening (24), and a lumen extending through the cannula. A cap (32) is provided having a closed distal end, being in contact with the outer wall of the cannula, and covering the distal end (22a) and the distal end opening of the cannula, the cap being structured to allow the distal end and the distal end opening of the cannula to pass through the cap as the cannula is passed into an eye. An ocular implant (40) is located in the lumen. The implant may be sealed in the cannula without the addition of a liquid carrier or it may be contained in a liquid carrier medium in the cannula. The implant may be made up of a number of microparticles having different compositions or different forms. The assembly also includes a sleeve (48) located on the proximal end of the cannula and suitable for coupling the assembly to a syringe containing a pushing gel.