Abstract
Purpose :
Explore a Solid Drug Implant (SDI) device that operates similar to a standard syringe-based injection. Currently, some devices involve high-speed implantation of a SDI due to their design. This results in uncertainty in the implant’s final position based on whether the patient has undergone a vitrectomy, and has been reported to cause damage when there is insufficient drag in the vitreous. An implantation device that places the implant in a more deterministic manner and simplifies implantation procedure could improve patient safety and enhance physician experience
Methods :
A literature review of relevant standards and of currently used devices available was completed. Additional testing of the Solid Drug Implant Device with enucleated pig eyes. Our device characteristics were measured to compare to traditional syringe-based injections and currently available implant devices.
Results :
An exemplary SDI 6mm long and 0.3mm in diameter and the device having a 25G needle with 12.5mm exposure from the device. The speed of the implant exiting the device is approximately 2mm/s. Also, incorporating a 25G or finer needle into the implantation device enables procedure to completed without the need for suturing the incision site; this potentially enables the implantation procedure to be conducted in a physician’s office similar to an intravitreal injection
Conclusions :
The speed of the implant leaving the device enables deterministic placement and minimizes reliance on vitreous drag to slow down the SDI upon implantation. The needle size was minimized according to the implant size for a less invasive implantation.
This abstract was presented at the 2024 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA, May 5-9, 2024.