Patent ID: 11896530
Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, A BODY CORPORATE
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A device for severing a trabecular meshwork, the device comprising:
a handle;
a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis;
a platform extending from the shaft for elevating a portion of the trabecular meshwork away from an outer wall of Schlemm's canal, the platform comprising:
a tip at a distal side of the platform configured to pierce the trabecular meshwork;
a bottom surface;
a planar ramp having a single plane extending from the distal side to a proximal side of the platform opposite the distal side;
first and second angled sides extending from the bottom surface to the planar ramp and from the tip toward the proximal side of the platform, wherein a width between the first and second angled sides increases toward the proximal side of the platform; and
first and second lateral sides laterally distal from the shaft and having a height greater than the first and second angled sides, wherein a portion of the first lateral side defines a first lateral element and a portion of the second lateral side defines a second lateral element;

wherein when the planar ramp is advanced between the trabecular meshwork and the outer wall of the Schlemm's canal, a portion of the trabecular meshwork on the planar ramp is elevated away from the outer wall of the Schlemm's canal without cutting the portion of the trabecular meshwork from surrounding portions of the trabecular meshwork and the portion is guided to the first and second lateral elements; and
wherein top portions of the first and second lateral sides extending away from the bottom surface are configured to sever trabecular meshwork tissue as the trabecular meshwork tissue advances in a rearward direction over the platform.