UIC-2019-059 – Suprachoroidal Space Catheter

40 percent of U.S. Ophthalmic diseases affect the posterior part of the eye with nearly 5 million Americans suffering from geographic atrophy alone. Intravitreal injections such as Eylea and Lucentis have garnered broad success in the market, but there is significant need for better localization of therapeutic interventions to the posterior of the eye. The suprachoroidal space (SCS) is a space created by the separation of the choroid from the sclera, offering an ideal route to posterior structures. However, there are no purpose-built SCS catheters, leading to low adoption and high risk for SCS procedures. UIC researchers in the UIC ORBITlab, an interdisciplinary team of faculty from UIC Business, Design, Engineering, and Medicine, have developed and validated a catheter for navigation of the suprachoroidal space. The design minimizes trauma while enhancing practitioner ease-of-use. Jonathan Gortat jgortat@otm.uic.edu (312) 413-1643