Surgery – Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
Patent
1999-05-05
2000-07-04
Brown, Michael A.
Surgery
Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
604 8, A61F 1300
Patent
active
060823623
ABSTRACT:
A punctum plug includes a proximal head, a distal body, and a thin-walled flexible shaft between the head and the body. The thin wall of the shaft of the plug is preferably provided with accordion-like folds, thereby permitting the length of the shaft to vary depending upon the degree to which the accordion-like folds are folded or unfolded. In addition, the accordion-like folds permit the thin wall of the shaft to easily bend, permitting the head and body of the plug to lie along different axes. As a result, the plug is shaped to accommodate both relatively long and short vertical puncta and the body of the plug may be angled relative to the head to accommodate a variety of anatomical structures. According to another aspect of the invention, the body of the plug may be provided with a thread which rotationally guides the plug into the small punctal opening when insertional and rotational forces are applied to the plug. As a result, a relatively larger body size may be used. Moreover, the thread provides improved plug fixation.
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Brown Michael A.
Eagle Vision, Inc.
Gallagher Thomas A.
Gordon David P.
Jacoboson David S.
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