Subconjunctival injector and method

Abstract

An injection device and method are shown. Devices and methods include a forceps and a needle advancement mechanism to clamp a portion of tissue and control a depth of penetration of the needle between gripping ends of the forceps. An injection device and method are shown where selected components of the injection device such as a syringe and forceps are disposable, while the remaining portions of the injection device are reusable. Devices and methods are shown that utilize micro-needles to control a depth of penetration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An injection device, comprising:
 a forceps, including gripping ends;   a drug reservoir;   a needle connected to the drug reservoir; and   a needle actuator to advance the needle between the gripping ends of the forceps, wherein a depth of penetration of the needle is limited by the actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the drug reservoir and the needle are part of a hypodermic syringe. 
     
     
         3 . The injection device of  claim 2 , wherein the hypodermic syringe is disposable and removable from the injection device, and the injection device is reusable. 
     
     
         4 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the forceps are disposable and removable from the injection device, and the injection device is reusable. 
     
     
         5 . The injection device of  claim 1 , further including a speculum portion coupled to a distal end of the injection device to hold a patient eyelids open when in use. 
     
     
         6 . The injection device of  claim 5 , wherein the speculum portion is disposable and removable from the injection device, and the injection device is reusable. 
     
     
         7 . The injection device of  claim 1 , further including a forceps actuator on a proximal end of the injection device to operate the forceps. 
     
     
         8 . The injection device of  claim 7 , wherein the needle actuator and the forceps actuator are operated by a single control. 
     
     
         9 . The injection device of  claim 8 , wherein the single control is timed to actuate the forceps actuator first, and the needle actuator after the forceps are in a clamped position. 
     
     
         10 . The injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the forceps are formed from a substantially transparent material. 
     
     
         11 . The injection device of  claim 1 , further including a drug delivery actuator on a proximal end of the injection device to interact with the hypodermic syringe and expel a drug from a distal end of the needle. 
     
     
         12 . The injection device of  claim 1 , further including a light coupled to the injection device. 
     
     
         13 . The injection device of  claim 1 , further including one or more electrically powered actuators. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 actuating a first control on an injection device to clamp a forceps on a portion of a conjunctiva and concurrently move a needle into the clamped portion of conjunctiva, wherein a depth of the needle into the conjunctiva is limited by the injection device, and   actuating a second control on the injection device to expel an amount of a drug through the needle into the conjunctiva.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein actuating the second control on the injection device to expel the amount of a drug includes expelling an amount of anesthetic. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further including removing a disposable syringe from the injection device and replacing the first syringe with a second syringe. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further including removing a forceps from the injection device and replacing the first forceps with a second forceps. 
     
     
         18 . An injection device, comprising:
 an ophthalmological instrument, including a handle;   a surface coupled to the handle, the surface containing a number of micro-needles, wherein the micro-needles are dimensioned to penetrate a surface of a conjunctiva, but are not long enough to penetrate a sclera.   a drug delivery system coupled to the handle, including:
 a reservoir; and 
 an actuator to deliver a drug from the reservoir through to the micro-needles. 
   
     
     
         19 . The injection device of  claim 18 , wherein the handle includes a pair of forceps. 
     
     
         20 . The injection device of  claim 19 , wherein the surface is part of one paddle at the end of the forceps. 
     
     
         21 . The injection device of  claim 18 , wherein the micro-needles are less than approximately 0.50 mm long.