System and method for a physiochemical scalpel to eliminate biologic tissue over-resection and induce tissue healing

• US 10,016,230 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2016
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuortho Surgical Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nuortho Surgical Inc.
• Inventors: Auge, II, Wayne K., Morgan, Roy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEHRHEIM, LINDSEY GAIL
• Application Number:
  US15/232,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20170035490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/326 for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/327 for enhancing the absorption properties of tissue, e.g. by electroporation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/44 Applying ionised fluids ion generators H01J37/00

Abstract

Removal of damaged tissue itself can enable biosynthetic activity in vivo as an unburdened homeostatic or repair response. By removing a biologic and mechanical irritant, the lesion site can be altered to a more favorable perturbation-specific mechanotransductive environment supportive of differentiated gene expression. One aspect of one embodiment of the present invention provides an engineered irrigant that produces ion exchanges in tissues for example deliver of protons which interact with biology tissues.

Claims

1. A method for treating targeted tissue comprising:

localizing an alternating current circuit device tip having electrodes in a conductive solution containing electroactive species in which a targeted tissue of a host is found;

deploying current to the alternating current circuit device tip located in close proximity to the targeted tissue wherein the device tip inhibits electrode-to-tissue contact but permits a shielded reaction zone for the conductive solution to react with at least one electrode of the alternating current circuit device tip;

moving an electron between electrodes of the alternating current circuit device tip utilizing an electron donor and acceptor carrier within the conductive solution containing electroactive species;

producing an electromagnetic field quanta near the targeted tissue when the device tip is placed next to the targeted tissue and producing an electron donor and an electron acceptor carrier associated with a charged specie intermediary created in the conductive solution formed above a baseline dissociation rate;

moving the charged specie intermediary created in the conductive solution toward the targeted tissue surface; and

inducing an effect upon the targeted tissue or the conductive solution that is configured to treat the targeted tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is produced by inducing gene expression with energy that is not injury inducing to the targeted tissue.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is produced by inducing superficial extracellular matrix volume contraction.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is precision resection of the targeted tissue.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the precision resection of the targeted tissue is produced by denaturing an exposed proteoglycan aggregate of a damaged articular cartilage of the targeted tissue using the charged specie intermediary created in the conductive solution having an induced pH below an isoelectric point of targeted tissue.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the exposed proteoglycan is a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan that resides as aggregates within an inter-territorial matrix at an articular surface.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is stirring of the conductive solution.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the stirring is microfluidic mixing of the conductive solution.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the charged specie intermediary created in the conductive solution comprise protons.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is directing the charged species intermediary created in the conductive solution toward the target tissue.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is a pharmaceutical agent delivery to the target tissue.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is an extracellular matrix modification.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is to upregulate a chondrocyte proliferation.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the effect is a gene transcription initiation.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the gene is indicative of a differentiated chondrocyte function.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the chondrocyte is a surface chondrocyte from the target tissue.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the gene is selected from Versican, COL2A1 and HSPA1A.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the charged specie intermediary created in the conductive solution toward the targeted tissue surface is directionalized with a plenum.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the plenum has openings through which the charged specie intermediary created in the conductive solution are thrust.