General Surgical Innovations, Inc.

Iscience Interventional Corporation

Covidien LP

Michael F Nash

Gary Ashley Stafford

Ronald Kenichi Yamamoto

Stanley R Conston

Paul S Koch

The invention relates to a novel apparatus for the treatment of ocular disease, particularly glaucoma. The apparatus consists of a locating device to locate Schlemm's Canal within the anterior portion of the eye and a surgical tool to access the canal for treatment. The apparatus allows for guided, minimally invasive surgical access to Schlemm's Canal to enable surgical procedures to be performed on the canal and trabecular meshwork to reduce intraocular pressure. The apparatus may also deliver devices or substances to Schlemm's Canal in the treatment of glaucoma.

Treatment of ocular disease

A dissector/retractor device comprising a balloon having a deflated state and an inflated state is described for performing minimally invasive surgical procedures by creating a tunnel alongside a target tissue in the body. The balloon in its inflated state forms an open space extending transversely through the balloon. The balloon is carried by an insertion assembly. The balloon may be an elongate torus shape with an elongate open area in its interior. The insertion assembly includes a blunt dissection device and a handle. In use, the dissector retractor is inserted through a small incision and bluntly tunneled through body tissue to a desired location. The balloon is inflated to create a space in the body tissue and may also dissect tissue as necessary away from the tissue to be treated. The balloon is left in place inflated to retract the space. Another incision may be made to provide more direct access to the target tissue than the original incision. The target tissue may then be diagnosed and/or treated through the direct access incision, through the overlying tissue and through the open space in the balloon.

Apparatus and method for dissecting and retracting elongate structures

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Danville, CA, United States of America

Michael F Nash