Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F9/00—Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting in contact-lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand
  • A61F9/007—Methods or devices for eye surgery
  • A61F9/00772—Apparatus for restoration of tear ducts

Definitions

• the subject of the present invention is a plug intended to close the meatus of a lacrimal canaliculus in order to remedy in particular the conditions designated by "dry eyes" which are due to an insufficient secretion of lacrimal fluid.
• the subject of the invention is a plug for the meatus of a lacrimal canaliculus, comprising an elongated body with a longitudinal axis, provided at one of its ends with a flange substantially perpendicular to this longitudinal axis, in which the elongated body having a first part adjacent to the collar, of elliptical cross section with a large axis and a second part which extends the first part obliquely to its longitudinal axis in the plane of the major axis of the section of the first part.
• the general shape of the plug is then more in line with the anatomical geometry of the lacrimal canaliculus with which it must cooperate.
• the second part of the elongated body has two divergent branches, each of cross section substantially equal to half of the cross section of the first part.
• This geometry is well suited to the morphology of the initial vertical portion of the lacrimal canaliculus to be closed which comprises a sort of relatively flat pocket parallel to the subject's skin.
• the second part of the elongated body is similar to the first in section and connected to the first by a pseudo-hinge formed by a transition zone of narrow cross section in the direction of the aforesaid major axes of ellipse .
• the length of the second part is important to be accommodated in the horizontal part of the lacrimal canaliculus situated beyond the pocket to form a probe for treating the lacrimal canaliculum in which it is placed.
• the obliquity of the second part with respect to the first is resiliently maintained, which allows the body to be straightened when it is put in place to facilitate its introduction.
• This elasticity is due to the material used which is elastically deformable from its shape which is imposed on it during its manufacture (for example, a biocompatible elastomer or a silicone).
• a biocompatible elastomer or a silicone for example, a biocompatible elastomer or a silicone.
• FIG. 1 is an external view of a plug according to the invention in its first variant embodiment
• - Figure 2 is an external side view of this plug
• - Figure 3 is a top view of this plug
• FIG. 4 is a front view of the second variant embodiment of the plug according to the invention.
• FIG. 5 is a side view of this variant
• FIG. 6 is a sectional view along line VI-VI of FIG. 4,
• FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line VII-VII of Figure 4
• - Figure 8 is an exterior view of the plug of Figure 4 in its bent state
• FIGS. 1 to 3 the stopper shown comprises an upper flange 1 in the form of an ellipse under which extends a section 2 of elongated body with a longitudinal axis 2a, of section also elliptical with the major axis of the ellipse combined with that of the collar 1, this section 2 forming a first part of the plug to which are connected two branches 3 and 4 which diverge from one another in a plane which contains the major axis of the abovementioned ellipses.
• each of the branches 3 and 4 is semi-elliptical, the major axis of which is also in the above-mentioned plane. Note that the center the one of the elliptical flange 1 is not confused with the axis 2a but is offset with respect to this axis in the direction of the major axis of the ellipses.
• FIG. 9 illustrates, the implantation of this plug in the first section of a lacrimal canaliculus 10 which forms a bag 10a flaring from the meatus 10b by which the plug is introduced.
• branches 3 and 4 should be brought closer to each other by means of an appropriate injector device (not illustrated) so that their bulk is not or is only very little, greater than the passage orifice defined by the meatus 10b of the lacrimal canaliculus 10.
• the branches 3 and 4 pivot relative to the section 2 in transition zones 5 and 6 which form pseudo-hinges of the branches on the section .
• pseudo-hinges are, like the entire plug, elastic and tend to cause branches 3 and 4 to diverge.
• the sum of the sections of the branches 3 and 4 is substantially equal to the section of the section 2.
• the oblong shapes of these sections are adapted to the natural oblong shape of the meatus 10b.
• the plug shown in Figures 4 to 8 and Figure 10, implanted in the lacrimal canaliculus 10, is designed to form mainly a probe intended to treat affections of the lacrimal canaliculi.
• Zone 14 is formed by a flattened section of the body of the plug shown in 15, so that the largest axis of this section is perpendicular to the axes of the elliptical sections 12, 13, which constitutes a preferred flexibility zone or a pseudo-hinge between the parts 12 and 13 of the plug.
• the flattening defines the plane in which the plug can deform: it is the plane which contains the main axes of the elliptical sections of the parts 12 and 13 and that of the flange 11.
• FIGS. 4 and 5 the plug is shown straightened either under the influence of external forces which can be summed up by the forces of gravity if the zone 15 is very flexible, or by a dehydrated state of a hydrophilic material with shape memory in the state of rest, that is to say under hygrometric conditions allowing its hydration as shown in FIG. 8.
• section of the plug throughout its parts 12, 13 and 14 is substantially constant and in relation to the natural opening defined by the meatus 10b of the lacrimal duct 10. It will also be noted that when the parts 12 and 13 are aligned, section 14 constitutes an area of significant flexibility which makes it possible to introduce the plug as far as the part horizontal 10c of the lacrimal canaliculus 10 (see FIG. 10).
• the plug can assume the shape of FIG. 8 at rest and it is by straightening it elastically that it can be introduced into the lacrimal canaliculus. In the latter, it will then resume the form shown in Figure 10.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
• Vascular Medicine (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (AREA)
• Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy & Molecular Imaging (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Prostheses (AREA)
• Protection Of Pipes Against Damage, Friction, And Corrosion (AREA)
• Pipe Accessories (AREA)
• Buffer Packaging (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=31725993

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (24)

Family Cites Families (9)

• 2002
  • 2002-09-11 FR FR0211227A patent/FR2844182B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-09-05 EP EP03769580A patent/EP1536745A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-09-05 AU AU2003278272A patent/AU2003278272A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-09-05 WO PCT/FR2003/002656 patent/WO2004024043A2/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2003-09-05 US US10/527,324 patent/US7510541B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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