Intraocular shunt inserter

Abstract

A system for deploying an intraocular shunt can include an intraocular shunt inserter and a deflector component that is releasably 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 bent configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for deploying an intraocular shunt, the system comprising:
 an intraocular shunt inserter comprising a housing having a distal end portion and a needle extending from the distal end portion; and   a deflector component releasably attachable to the distal end portion of the inserter, the deflector component having a needle guide configured to receive the needle of the inserter therein, wherein the needle guide maintains the needle in a bent configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the needle guide comprises a hollow shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in the bent configuration, the needle is bent at an angle of between about 6 degrees to about 10 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein when coupled with the deflector component, the needle is elastically deformed. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end portion of the inserter comprises an indexing structure and the deflector component comprises an alignment index, wherein the alignment index of the deflector component can be releasably engaged with the indexing structure to define a rotational orientation of the deflector component relative to the inserter. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the deflector component comprises a coupler, the needle guide being attached to the coupler, wherein the alignment index is formed along the coupler. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the alignment index is positioned along a proximal portion of the coupler. 
     
     
         8 . An inserter device for deploying an intraocular shunt, the device comprising:
 a housing;   a shunt deployment mechanism disposed within the housing;   a deformable hollow needle coupled to the housing and the deployment mechanism for delivering an intraocular shunt; and   a deflector component releasably attachable to a distal end portion of the housing, the deflector component comprising a coupling body and a needle guide positionable against a portion of the needle to cause the needle to be positioned in a bent configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the needle guide comprises a bend at an angle of between about 0 degrees to about 15 degrees. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the needle guide comprises a bend at an angle of between about 4 degrees to about 6 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the needle guide comprises a straight insertion portion and an angled deployment portion. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises an indexing structure and the deflector component comprises an alignment index, wherein the alignment index of the deflector component can be releasably engaged with the indexing structure to define a rotational orientation of the deflector component relative to the inserter device. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the indexing structure comprises a plurality of index grooves. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating an intraocular shunt inserter, the method comprising:
 providing an inserter device for deploying an intraocular shunt, the device comprising a housing having a distal end portion, a shunt deployment mechanism disposed within the housing, and a deformable hollow needle coupled to the housing and the deployment mechanism for delivering an intraocular shunt;   inserting the needle into a needle guide of a deflector component to cause the needle to be positioned in a bent configuration; and   coupling the deflector component to the distal end portion of the housing with a coupling body of the deflector component positioned against the distal end portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the inserting comprises causing the needle to bend at an angle of between about 0 degrees to about 15 degrees in the bent configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the inserting comprises causing the needle to bend at an angle of between about 6 degrees to about 10 degrees in the bent configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising aligning the deflector component with the distal end portion of the inserter via an indexing mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the indexing mechanism comprises at least one protrusion on the distal end portion of the inserter. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the aligning comprises rotationally aligning the deflector component relative to the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the rotationally aligning comprises selecting an indexed rotational position from a plurality of rotational positions.