The XEN Gel Stent revolutionizes glaucoma surgery by providing a minimally invasive solution for controlling intraocular pressure. With its advanced design, it aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce recovery time.
XEN® Gel Stent is a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery device designed to lower eye pressure by creating a small drainage passage from the anterior chamber to the subconjunctival space. It offers a less invasive alternative to traditional filtering surgery, aiming to reduce complications while providing effective intraocular pressure control. This innovative device has become an important tool in managing glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible vision loss.
The XEN® Gel Stent is a flexible, 6-mm long microstent crafted from porcine collagen-derived gelatin that has been cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. Designed with a 45-micron lumen, this tiny implant is preloaded in a sterile injector, making the procedure efficient and precise. Its small size, comparable to that of a dime, belies its significant impact on managing intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucoma.
The device functions by creating a permanent channel for the aqueous humor to flow out of the eye into the subconjunctival space. This controlled shunting is based on principles of laminar fluid dynamics, ensuring that the flow resistance within the tube prevents the pressure from dropping too low. After the stent is implanted, it hydrates rapidly within one to two minutes upon contact with the eye’s aqueous humor, bending and conforming to the surrounding tissue to maintain a stable drainage pathway.
Find a top ophthalmologist near you to discuss if the XEN Gel Stent is the right option for your glaucoma treatment.
One of the central advantages of the XEN® Gel Stent is its composition and design. Made of porcine gelatin, the implant is non-inflammatory and initiates minimal extraocular fibrotic or vascular response. This biocompatibility reduces many of the issues observed with synthetic materials, such as migration or erosion, and offers protection against corneal endothelial damage. Its flexible structure not only assists in safe implantation but also adapts naturally to the eye’s tissues.
The stent’s internal dimensions were carefully calculated using fluid dynamics principles, specifically drawing on the Hagen–Poiseuille equation. This equation helped determine the appropriate size to prevent postoperative hypotony—a condition where the eye pressure becomes excessively low—while ensuring a steady state IOP floor of approximately 6 to 8 mmHg. By relying on its inherent flow resistance, the device effectively maintains controlled drainage, addressing the only proven method for preventing and treating glaucoma: lowering IOP.
Find a top ophthalmologist near you to discuss if the XEN Gel Stent is the right option for your glaucoma treatment.
The XEN Gel Stent offers innovative glaucoma surgery, effectively lowering intraocular pressure with minimal invasiveness and quick recovery.
