Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord
  • A61B17/12022—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires
  • A61B17/12131—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires characterised by the type of occluding device
  • A61B17/12181—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires characterised by the type of occluding device formed by fluidized, gelatinous or cellular remodelable materials, e.g. embolic liquids, foams or extracellular matrices
  • A61B17/1219—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires characterised by the type of occluding device formed by fluidized, gelatinous or cellular remodelable materials, e.g. embolic liquids, foams or extracellular matrices expandable in contact with liquids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord
  • A61B17/12022—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires
  • A61B17/12099—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires characterised by the location of the occluder
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord
  • A61B17/12022—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires
  • A61B17/12131—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires characterised by the type of occluding device
  • A61B17/12159—Solid plugs; being solid before insertion
• • 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
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/12—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels, umbilical cord
  • A61B17/12022—Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires

Definitions

• the invention relates to a plug for closing off a tear-duct, which plug is provided with two extremities, with a shaft which at one of the two extremities is provided with a broadened head with a lower surface and an edge, the lower surface having at least a partially bent shape, the shaft having a broadened part which slopes in the direction of both extremities.
• Tear-ducts serve to discharge tear-water from an eye to the nasal cavity.
• Two tear-ducts end near each eye which ducts usually have a diameter of about 0.3 mm and are surrounded by a ring of connective tissue. Via the tear-duct opening or punctum and the tear-ducts or canaliculi tear-water is discharged to the tear- bag and from there to the nasal cavity.
• Tear-water among others serves to discharge dust and dirt and to keep the eye clean and moist. Tear-water also contains among other the enzyme lysozyme which acts as a kind of antibiotic and which protects the eye from infections. Per day a normal eye produces about 400 drops of tear water. During sleeping the tear-water production is lower.
• a shortage of tear-water may for instance occur as a result of excessive discharge via the tear-ducts.
• An unfavourable composition of the tear-water may also cause these problems, for instance when too little sebaceous matter is produced and the tear-water is too watery as a result of which it evaporates more quickly.
• Cir- cumstances which may aggravate the symptoms of dry eyes are for instance working in dry environments with a low air humidity, such as air-conditioned environments or air-planes, or working with computers.
• Dry eyes can be prevented or at least partially be remedied by reducing the discharge of tear water via the tear-ducts by arranging a little plug in one of the tear-ducts, or in serious cases in both tear-ducts, as a result of which the discharge of tear-water is blocked.
• Disadvantages of the known tear-duct plugs are that they are difficult to arrange and have to be arranged by an ophthalmologist or ophthalmic educated personnel.
• the tear-duct plug known from the US patent 5.334.1 37 may in some cases move during use, and appeared not always to sufficiently close off the tear-duct.
• the object of the invention is to provide a plug for a tear-duct, which during use remains on the same location and which sufficiently closes off the tear-duct.
• the object of the invention is achieved with a plug of the kind mentioned in the preamble, which has said broadened head and hollow curvature, and that the edge of the broadened head is bent back in the direction of the broadened part.
• the broadened head attaches itself firmly like a suction cup to the moist mucous membrane tissue surrounding the opening of the tear-duct.
• the plug is durably and firmly kept in its place after insertion in the tear-duct.
• the head of the plug known from the US patent specification does not have a bent back edge, so that no sucking effect is obtained.
• the plug is made of a moist absorbing material which is not soluble in water, such as for instance HEMA, of which also contact lenses are made.
• HEMA is a moist absorbing synthetic which does not irritate the eyes and mucous membranes.
• HEMA is radio opaque so that it can be perceived with the help of for instance X-ray equipment, whereas the little plug is virtually invisible with the naked eye.
• the HEMA is modified and substances are added for increasing the moist absorption.
• a modified HEMA may swell with a factor 1 .4 as a result of moist absorption.
• an inflammation inhibitor for instance heparin, may also be added to the material from which the plug is made.
• the plug is easier to remove if at the side facing the head, the broadened part of the shaft changes with a gradual running bend into a substantially cylindrical part of the shaft.
• the tear-duct plug is provided with a cavity which from the broadened head tapers off in the longitudinal direction of the plug.
• the plug can be arranged or removed in a simple manner with the help of a pair of tweezers or such like tools. If, as in most cases, the tear-duct has to be completely closed off, this cavity has to be a blind cavity. If the discharge via the tear-duct has to be reduced but not entirely closed off, then a passage can be arranged contiguous to this cavity which passage continues to the extremity opposite the broadened head.
• Figure 1 shows a plug according to the invention in perspective
• Figure 2 shows a human eye provided with a plug in accordance with figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 shows a cross-section of a plug along the line Ill-Ill from figure 1 ;
• Figure 4 shows a cross-section of another embodiment of a plug according to the invention. - 4 -
• Figure 1 shows a tear-duct plug 1 according to the invention, consisting of a shaft 2 with a broadened head 3 which serves to abut the tissue surrounding the tear- duct opening after placing the plug 1 in a tear-duct.
• the broadened head 3 has an edge.
• the other extremity is formed by a broadened part 4 which on the one hand shows a conical course and ends in a pointed extremity 5.
• the broadened part 4 preferably merges with a gradual bend into a substantially cylindrical part 6 of the shaft 2.
• the broadened head 3 is substantially dish- shaped, shows a hollow curvature 7, and the edge of the broadened head 3 is bent back in the direction of the broadened part 4, as can clearly be seen in figure 3 in which the plug 1 is shown in cross-section.
• this hollow curvature and bending back attaches itself firmly like a suction cup to the tissue surrounding the opening or punctum 9 of the a tear-duct or canaliculus 10 to be closed off.
• FIG 2 a part of an eye 1 1 is shown, in which the tear-duct 10, namely a lower tear-duct 12 and an upper tear-duct 1 3, are shown in dotted lines.
• the tear- ducts 1 2, 1 3 consist of a substantially vertical part 14 of about 2 mm long and contiguous to it a substantially horizontal part 1 5 of about 8 mm long, which connects to the tear-bag 1 6.
• a plug 1 is arranged in the lower tear-duct.
• the broadened head 3 protrudes from the tear-duct 1 2 and abuts the tissue surrounding the tear-duct opening 9.
• the broadened part 4 is in the tear-duct 1 2.
• the tissue of the inner wall of the tear-duct clamps around the broadened part 4, as a result of which because of the sucking effect of the broadened head 3 the plug can less easily slide of its own accord. Because the broadened part 4 is gradually bevelled towards both extremities the plug can both be placed and removed easily.
• the tear-duct plug 1 is made of a moist absorbing material, for instance a modified HEMA
• the plug 1 swells after insertion in the tear-duct.
• the factor with which the modified HEMA swells can be increased to a swell factor of about 1 .4.
• the plug 1 in the unswollen situation immediately after insertion in the tear-duct is shown in dotted lines.
• the same plug 1 is shown after it has swollen to its maximum size.
• the plug 1 remains much more firmly in its place in the tear-duct 10.
• the plug 1 further comprises a blind cylindrical cavity 1 7 which from the broadened head 3 extends in longitudinal direction of the plug 1 .
• a blind cylindrical cavity 1 7 which from the broadened head 3 extends in longitudinal direction of the plug 1 .
• FIG 4 another possible embodiment of a tear-duct plug according to the invention is shown in which contiguous to the cavity 17 a passage 18 is arranged which ends at the pointed extremity 5 of the plug 1 .
• a plug can be used if the discharge of tear-water via the tear-duct should not be entirely impeded, but only partially.

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19766388

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (16)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 1998
  • 1998-01-22 NL NL1008090A patent/NL1008090C2/nl not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-01-15 AU AU19858/99A patent/AU1985899A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-01-15 WO PCT/NL1999/000023 patent/WO1999037260A1/nl active Application Filing

Patent Citations (5)

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