Method and device for abrading skin

• US 20030199811A1
• Filed: 05/28/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Bock, Carl Randolph, Sage, Burton H. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/446,545
• Publication Number:
  US 20030199811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/54 Chiropodists' instruments , e.g. pedicure chiropractic devices A61H1/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00761 Removing layer of skin tissue, e.g. wrinkles, scars or cancerous tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320004 abrasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0046 Solid microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0053 Methods for producing microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0061 Methods for using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/303 Constructional details electrodes for external use A61N1/0428

Abstract

A device includes a plurality of microneedles for abrading the stratum corneum of the skin to form a plurality of grooves in the tissue having a controlled depth and width. The microneedles have a length of about 5-250 microns and generally about 5-200 microns. The device is rubbed over the skin to prepare an abraded site after which a transdermal delivery or sampling device is applied to the abraded delivery site. The abrasion increases the permeability of the skin and the rate of delivery and extraction of a substance without pain or irritation to the patient.

Claims

1. A device for abrading the stratum corneum of the skin, said device comprising:

a support having a bottom face; and

a plurality of microneedles coupled to and extending substantially perpendicular from said bottom face, said microneedles having a length to penetrate the stratum corneum substantially without piercing the stratum corneum.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said microneedles are about 50 to about 250 microns in length, are arranged in a plurality of columns and rows, and are substantially uniformly spaced apart.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said microneedles has a substantially frustoconical shape terminating at a blunt tip.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said microneedles has a plurality of side walls extending from said support and terminating at a blunt tip.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said blunt tip has a substantially flat face that is substantially parallel to said support.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said flat face of said tip joins each of said side walls along an abrading edge.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein each of said side walls is joined to an adjacent side wall along an abrading edge.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said microneedles have a length to abrade the skin of a patient to a sufficient depth to enhance the permeability of skin for molecules without skin irritation.