Apparatus and methods for delivery of medicament to a respiratory system

• US 20030150445A1
• Filed: 10/30/2002
• Published: 08/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stamford Devices Limited
• Original Assignee: Aerogen, Inc. (Nektar Therapeutics)
• Inventors: Power, John, Moran, Declan, Regan, Desmond
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/049 Mouthpieces
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8262 connectable to external power source, e.g. connecting to automobile battery through the cigarette lighter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/082 Mounting brackets, arm supports for equipment

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for delivery of a medicament to a respiratory system. A reservoir is provided for a liquid medicament with the reservoir having a liquid medicament inlet port and a medicament outlet. An aerosol generator is provided at the medicament outlet of the reservoir for aerosolizing the liquid medicament. A connector entrains the aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator with a gas.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivery of a medicament to a respiratory system, the apparatus comprising:

a reservoir for a liquid medicament for delivery to a respiratory system, the reservoir having a liquid medicament inlet port and a medicament outlet;

an aerosol generator at the medicament outlet of the reservoir for aerosolizing the liquid medicament; and

a connector for entraining the aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator with a gas.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the inlet port is an upper inlet port and the outlet is a lower outlet for gravitational flow of the liquid medicament from the reservoir to the aerosol generator.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 further comprising a plug for selectively sealing the upper inlet port.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein an interior surface of the reservoir is configured to promote flow of the liquid medicament towards the aerosol generator.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein the interior surface of the reservoir is inclined towards the aerosol generator.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein the reservoir defines a substantially conical shape at least in the region adjacent the aerosol generator.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein:

the reservoir defines an access opening in a wall of the reservoir to facilitate access to an interior of the reservoir; and

the reservoir comprises a cap for mounting at the access opening.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein the inlet port is provided through the cap.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a gas conduit having an gas-conduit inlet and a gas-conduit outlet, and an aerosol supply conduit for delivering the aerosolized medicament from the aerosol generator into the gas conduit to entrain the aerosolized medicament with a gas.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the aerosol supply conduit subtends an angle of less than 90°

with the inlet of the gas conduit.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein the aerosol supply conduit subtends an angle of about 75°

with the inlet of the gas conduit.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein the aerosol supply conduit is coaxial with the inlet of the gas conduit.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising a respiratory conduit for connecting the outlet of the gas conduit to the respiratory system.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the respiratory conduit is mounted to the connector at the outlet of the gas conduit.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 further comprising an intermediate connector mounted between the respiratory conduit and the outlet of the gas conduit.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the intermediate connector includes a lumen extending therethrough, and a cross-sectional area of the lumen varies along a length of the lumen.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the intermediate connector comprises a handle for gripping the intermediate connector.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the respiratory conduit is moveable relative to the gas conduit.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 18 wherein the respiratory conduit is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the outlet of the gas conduit.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the respiratory conduit is selected from the group consisting of a mouthpiece, a face mask, and an inter-tracheal tube.

21. The apparatus recited in claim 20 further comprising an intermediate portion between the outlet of the gas conduit and respiratory conduit, the intermediate portion being moveable relative to the respiratory conduit.

22. The apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein the respiratory conduit includes a bifurcation that separates into a first arm for inhalation to the respiratory system and a second arm for exhalation from the respiratory system.

23. The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising a ventilator conduit for connecting the inlet of the gas conduit to a ventilator.

24. The apparatus recited in claim 23 further comprising an intermediate connector mounted between the ventilator conduit and the inlet of the gas conduit.

25. The apparatus recited in claim 24 wherein the intermediate connector has a lumen extending therethrough, and a cross-sectional area of the lumen varies along a length of the lumen.

26. The apparatus recited in claim 24 wherein the intermediate connector comprises a handle for gripping the intermediate connector.

27. The apparatus recited in claim 9 further comprising an aerosol generator housing in which the aerosol generator is housed, wherein the connector is mounted to the aerosol generator housing.

28. The apparatus recited in claim 27 further comprising:

a signal interface to receive a control signal to control operation of the aerosol generator; and

a controller to control operation of the aerosol generator, the controller being connectable to the signal interface.

29. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the aerosol generator comprises a vibratable member having a plurality of apertures extending between a first surface and a second surface.

30. The apparatus recited in claim 29 wherein the first surface is adapted to receive the liquid medicament from the reservoir.

31. The apparatus recited in claim 29 wherein the aerosol generator is configured to generate an aerosol at the second surface.

32. The apparatus recited in claim 29 wherein the vibratable member is dome-shaped.

33. The apparatus recited in claim 29 wherein the plurality of apertures are sized to aerosolize the liquid medicament by ejecting droplets of liquid medicament such that about 70% or more of the droplets by weight have a size in the range between about 1 and 5 micrometers.

34. A connector for entraining an aerosolized medicament with a gas to deliver the medicament to a respiratory system, the connector comprising:

a gas conduit having an inlet and an outlet;

an aerosol supply conduit for delivering the aerosolized medicament into the gas conduit to entrain the aerosolized medicament with the gas; and

a cap to selectively seal the aerosol supply conduit to maintain the pressure in the gas conduit when the connector is not in use.

35. The connector recited in claim 34 wherein the cap is attached to the gas conduit.

36. A method of delivering a medicament to a respiratory system, the method comprising:

providing a reservoir for a liquid medicament to be delivered to the respiratory system;

delivering a volume of the liquid medicament into the reservoir;

providing an aerosol generator for aerosolizing the liquid medicament;

arranging the aerosol generator beneath the reservoir for gravitational flow of the liquid medicament from the reservoir to the aerosol generator;

aerosolizing the liquid medicament; and

delivering the aerosolized medicament to the respiratory system.

37. The method recited in claim 36 further comprising entraining the aerosolized medicament with a gas before delivering the aerosolized medicament to the respiratory system.

38. The method recited in claim 36 further comprising vibrating at least part of the aerosol generator to aerosolize the liquid medicament.

39. The method recited in claim 36 further comprising delivering a further volume of the liquid medicament into the reservoir.

40. The method recited in claim 39 wherein the further volume of the liquid medicament is delivered into the reservoir after all of the liquid medicament in the reservoir has been aerosolized.

41. The method recited in claim 39 wherein the further volume of the liquid medicament is delivered into the reservoir before all of the liquid medicament in the reservoir has been aerosolized.

42. The method recited in claim 36 further comprising opening a port to deliver the volume of the liquid medicament through the port into the reservoir.

43. The method recited in claim 42 further comprising sealing the port after delivering the volume of the liquid medicament into the reservoir.

44. The method recited in claim 43 wherein the port is sealed before aerosolizing the liquid medicament.