Devices and methods useable for treatment of glaucoma and other surgical procedures

Abstract

A device and method for cutting or ablating tissue in a human or veterinary patient includes an elongate probe having a distal end, a tissue cutting or ablating apparatus located adjacent within the distal end, and a tissue protector extending from the distal end. The protector generally has a first side and a second side and the tissue cutting or ablating apparatus is located adjacent to the first side thereof. The distal end is structured to be advanceable into tissue or otherwise placed and positioned within the patient's body such that tissue adjacent to the first side of the protector is cut away or ablated by the tissue cutting or ablation apparatus while tissue that is adjacent to the second side of the protector is not substantially damaged by the tissue cutting or ablating apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for forming an opening in trabecular meshwork tissue of an eye of a subject, comprising:
 an elongate probe having a distal portion that is insertable into an eye, wherein the elongate probe comprises:
 an outer tube, and 
 an inner tube extends through a lumen of the outer tube, wherein a distal portion of the inner tube extends out of and beyond a distal end of the outer tube, the distal portion configured to be inserted through the trabecular meshwork and advanced into Schlemm's Canal; 
   a protector extending from the distal portion of the inner tube at an angle relative to the inner tube, the protector having an upper side, a lower side, and a distal tip; and   a bipolar ablation apparatus disposed within the distal portion of the elongate probe, the bipolar ablation having a first electrode and a second electrode spaced from the second electrode,   wherein the bipolar ablation apparatus is spaced apart from the upper side of the protector at a distance suitable to receive the trabecular meshwork therebetween to ablate and cut the trabecular meshwork.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the trabecular meshwork adjacent to the upper side of the protector is ablated by the bipolar ablation apparatus while tissue that is adjacent to the lower side of the protector is not substantially damaged by the bipolar ablation apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the distance between the bipolar apparatus and the upper side of the protector is about 1/20 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the angle for the protector extending from the distal portion of the inner tube is about 90 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second electrodes operates as an active electrode and the other of the first and second electrodes operates as a return electrode. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the inner tube defines an inner tube lumen having a port adjacent the bipolar ablating apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the inner tube lumen is an aspiration lumen. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the aspiration lumen is configured to connect to an aspiration source to remove debris or fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the outer tube defines an outer tube lumen having a port adjacent the distal end of the outer tube. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the outer tube lumen is an irrigation lumen. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the irrigation lumen is configured to connect to an irrigation source to infuse fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the protector comprises a triangular shape. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the protector comprises a core formed from one of an electrically conductive material and a thermally conductive material. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the protector is coated with an electrically and thermally insulating material.