Patents Assigned to AqueSys, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11938059
    Abstract: An inserter for treating glaucoma can comprise a housing, a needle, a plunger, a slider component, and a drive component. The drive component is disposed within a cavity of the housing and rotatable within the cavity to result in movement along a longitudinal axis of the inserter to the needle and the plunger upon rotation of the drive component. The slider component is coupled to the housing and slidable along an elongate groove of the drive component such that movement of the slider component along the axis rotates the drive component within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Iqbal K. Ahmed, Brian Scott Hamstrom, Wesley Anne Jung, Vanessa I. Vera, Ronald D. Bache
  • Patent number: 11612517
    Abstract: An intraocular shunt can be placed into the eye in an ab externo approach. A clinician may determine an entry area below a corneal limbus of an eye and a target outflow region. Thereafter, the clinician can insert a hollow shaft into the eye at the entry area toward an anterior chamber of the eye, the shaft carrying an intraocular shunt therein. The clinician can position an inflow end of the shunt within the anterior chamber of the eye and, while maintaining the shunt inflow end in the anterior chamber, can remove the shaft from the eye to release the shunt. Finally, the clinician can repositioning an outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region and verify placement of the outflow end of the shunt within the target outflow region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Aquesys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda
  • Publication number: 20230062291
    Abstract: An inserter can include a needle, an actuation member, a plunger and/or assembly. The needle can define a lumen, and the plunger assembly can include a plunger and a plunger driver. The plunger can be at least partially disposed within the lumen of the needle, wherein the plunger is configured to advance a shunt through the lumen of the needle upon release. The plunger driver can be coupled to a proximal end portion of the plunger. The plunger driver elongates from a first length to a second length upon movement of the actuation member for advancing a distal end portion of the plunger from a first position to a second position relative to the lumen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Aquesys, Inc.
    Inventor: Lazzlo O. Romoda
  • Patent number: 11298264
    Abstract: Glaucoma can be treated by implanting an intraocular shunt in the eye. The implantation can be performed by first determining an entry area below a corneal limbus of an eye. Thereafter, the intraocular shunt can be inserted into eye tissue through the entry area such that an inflow end of the shunt is positioned in the anterior chamber of the eye and an outflow end of the shunt is positioned between layers of Tenon's capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Richard A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 11135089
    Abstract: A system for deploying an intraocular shunt can include an intraocular shunt inserter and a deflector component that is releasable attachable to a distal end portion of the inserter. The inserter can include a housing having a distal end portion and a needle extending from the distal end portion. The deflector component can have a needle guide configured to receive the needle of the inserter therein. The deflector component can be coupled to the inserter in order to permit the needle guide to bend the needle and maintain the needle in a bended configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Laszlo O. Romoda, Christopher Horvath
  • Patent number: 10842671
    Abstract: Glaucoma can be treated by implanting an intraocular shunt into the eye. Such procedures can employ various deployment devices, shunts, and implantation techniques. A method for treating glaucoma can include positioning an intraocular shunt in eye tissue such that the shunt conducts fluid from the anterior chamber to the suprachoroidal space and delivers a pharmaceutical or biological agent to the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Ronald D. Bache, Laszlo O. Romoda, Guenther Grabner, Herbert A. Reitsamer, John R. Samples
  • Patent number: 10524959
    Abstract: Devices and methods of implanting an intraocular shunt into an eye can be used to deliver the shunt to a location within the sclera. Some methods involve creating an opening in the sclera, and positioning a shunt in the anterior chamber of the eye such that the shunt terminates via the opening in the intrascleral space, thereby facilitating fluid flow through both the opening and the intrascleral space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Horvath
  • Patent number: 10470928
    Abstract: An inserter for treating glaucoma can comprise a housing, a needle, a plunger, a slider component, and a drive component. The drive component is disposed within a cavity of the housing and rotatable within the cavity to result in movement along a longitudinal axis of the inserter to the needle and the plunger upon rotation of the drive component. The slider component is coupled to the housing and slidable along an elongate groove of the drive component such that movement of the slider component along the axis rotates the drive component within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Iqbal K. Ahmed, Brian Scott Hamstrom, Wesley Anne Jung, Vanessa I. Vera, Ronald D. Bache
  • Patent number: 10470927
    Abstract: Placing an intraocular shunt ab externo into an eye can include inserting the shunt into the eye and either before and/or after insertion, ballooning a target outflow region of the eye to permit an outflow end of the shunt to be enveloped within the ballooned target outflow region. An injector docking device can optionally be used to guide insertion of the needle and shunt into the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda
  • Patent number: 10463537
    Abstract: Placing an intraocular shunt ab externo into an eye can include inserting the shunt into the eye and either before and/or after insertion, ballooning a target outflow region of the eye to permit an outflow end of the shunt to be enveloped within the ballooned target outflow region. An injector docking device can optionally be used to guide insertion of the needle and shunt into the eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda
  • Patent number: 10369048
    Abstract: Implanting an intraocular shunt into an eye can involve creating an opening in the cornea and positioning a shunt in the anterior chamber of the eye such that the shunt terminates between layers of Tenon's capsule, thereby facilitating fluid flow out of the anterior chamber into a space between the layers of Tenon's capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Richard A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10307293
    Abstract: Intraocular pressure can be reduced by insertion of an intraocular shunt in the eye such that it forms a drainage pathway between the anterior chamber and a region of lower pressure. A hollow shaft that holds an intraocular shunt can be advanced through the anterior chamber. The sclera can be penetrated with the hollow shaft. A beveled tip of the shaft can be oriented such that a beveled surface thereof faces toward the Tenon's capsule when the beveled tip passes out of the sclera. After the beveled tip passes out of the sclera, at least a portion of the shunt can be advanced from the hollow shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Richard A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10195078
    Abstract: Methods and devices for adjusting or configuring the flow rate of an intraocular shunt are provided whereby hypotony can be avoided by increasing the flow rate through the device. In some embodiments, the device is a shunt that can have a first flow that can be modified to a second flow by modifying the shunt, such as by cutting the shunt. Additionally, one or more dissolvable portions can be present to provide an initial flow restriction and subsequent increase in flow over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Brian Hamstrom, Ronald D. Bache, Guenther Grabner, Herbert A. Reitsamer
  • Patent number: 10195079
    Abstract: Methods and devices for adjusting or configuring the flow rate of an intraocular shunt are provided whereby hypotony can be avoided by increasing the flow rate through the device. In some embodiments, the device is a shunt that can have a first flow that can be modified to a second flow by modifying the shunt, such as by cutting the shunt. Additionally, one or more dissolvable portions can be present to provide an initial flow restriction and subsequent increase in flow over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Brian Hamstrom, Ronald D. Bache, Guenther Grabner, Herbert A. Reitsamer
  • Patent number: 10159600
    Abstract: Methods and devices for adjusting or configuring the flow rate of an intraocular shunt are provided whereby hypotony can be avoided by increasing the flow rate through the device. In some embodiments, the device is a shunt that can have a first flow that can be modified to a second flow by modifying the shunt, such as by cutting the shunt. Additionally, one or more dissolvable portions can be present to provide an initial flow restriction and subsequent increase in flow over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Brian Hamstrom, Ronald D. Bache, Guenther Grabner, Herbert A. Reitsamer
  • Patent number: 10004638
    Abstract: An intraocular shunt deployment device can release an intraocular shunt into an eye using a deployment mechanism that coordinates action between a pusher component, a shaft component, and a housing of the device. The deployment mechanism causes axial movement of the components in response to a rotational input force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Aquesys, Inc.
    Inventors: Laszlo O. Romoda, Christopher Horvath
  • Patent number: 9980854
    Abstract: An intraocular shunt can be placed into a human eye using a hollow shaft having a distal tip with a bevel. The hollow shaft can be advanced through the anterior chamber while the hollow shaft holds the intraocular shunt. The distal tip can penetrate the sclera until the bevel is positioned distal to a superficial wall of the sclera. The shunt can be advanced at least partially from the hollow shaft into a drainage space of lower pressure than the anterior chamber. The hollow shaft can be withdrawn from the eye, leaving the shunt extending from the anterior chamber completely through the sclera to the drainage space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Richard A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 9808373
    Abstract: Implanting an intraocular shunt into an eye can involve creating an opening in the cornea and positioning a shunt in the anterior chamber of the eye such that the shunt terminates between layers of Tenon's capsule, thereby facilitating fluid flow out of the anterior chamber into a space between the layers of Tenon's capsule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Laszlo O. Romoda, Richard A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 9636254
    Abstract: Methods, system and apparatus for relieving pressure in an organ such as, but not limited to, the eye are disclosed. The method includes implanting a bioabsorbable channel into the selected area of the organ using a delivery apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventors: Dao-Yi Yu, Cory Anderson, Roelof Trip, Ying Yang, Hoang Van Nguyen, Surag Mantri, Er-Ning Su, Stephen Cringle, James McCrea, Daniel Mufson, Colin Tan
  • Patent number: 9610195
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to devices and methods of implanting an intraocular shunt into an eye. In certain aspects, methods of the invention involve creating an opening in the sclera, and positioning a shunt in the anterior chamber of the eye such that the shunt terminates via the opening in the intra-scleral space, thereby facilitating fluid flow through both the opening and the intra-scleral space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: AqueSys, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Horvath