Drug delivery to a joint

• US 20070053963A1
• Filed: 01/13/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hospital For Special Surgery (The NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hospital For Special Surgery (The NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koski, John, Hotchkiss, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/541,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053963A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/448
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0024 Solid, semi-solid or solidifying implants, which are implanted or injected in body tissue compositions for intravenous administration, normal injectable solutions or dispersions for, e.g. subcutaneous administration A61K9/0019; brain implants A61K9/0085; (coated) prostheses, catheters or stents A61L
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/222 Steroids, e.g. corticosteroids
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/402 Anaestetics, analgesics, e.g. lidocaine
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/41 Anti-inflammatory agents, e.g. NSAIDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/16 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L31/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 29/00 Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents

Abstract

A method of intra-articular drug delivery may include selecting an attachment zone in a synovial joint; affixing a drug release device in the attachment zone, the drug release device comprising a base affixable in the attachment zone, a sustained-release drug carrier, and a drug, the device positioned so that the device releases the drug into the synovial fluid of the synovial joint, and so that agitation of the synovial fluid facilitates elution of the drug from the drug release device.

Claims

1. A method of intra-articular drug delivery, comprising:

selecting an attachment zone in a synovial joint; and

affixing a drug release device in the attachment zone, the drug release device comprising a base affixable in the attachment zone, a sustained-release drug carrier, and a drug, the device positioned so that the device releases the drug into the synovial fluid of the synovial joint, and so that agitation of the synovial fluid facilitates elution of the drug from the drug release device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the attachment zone comprises a non-articulating portion of bone and/or cartilage within the synovial joint.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising removing the bone and/or cartilage in the attachment zone to create a void, and so inserting the drug release device into the void that at least one surface of the drug release device is in communication with the synovial fluid.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the drug release device is so inserted that its surface in communication with the synovial fluid is about flush with surrounding bone and/or cartilage.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the attachment zone comprises a band of bone and/or cartilage adjacent to an articulating surface within the synovial joint.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the band extends from about 0.5 millimeters to about 1 centimeter away from the articulating surface.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the bone and/or cartilage in the attachment zone to create a void, and so inserting the drug release device into the void that at least one surface of the drug release device is in communication with the synovial fluid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the drug release device is so inserted that its surface in communication with the synovial fluid is about flush with surrounding bone and/or cartilage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the synovial joint is a hip joint, and the attachment zone comprises a non-articulating portion of bone and/or cartilage within the hip.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the attachment zone comprises a band of bone and/or cartilage adjacent to at least one of a femoral head, and an acetabulum.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the synovial joint is a knee joint, and the attachment zone comprises a non-articulating portion of bone and/or cartilage within the knee.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the attachment zone comprises a band of bone and/or cartilage adjacent to at least one of a tibial plateau, a femoral condyle, a patellofemoral area, the medial rim of a femoral trochlea, the lateral rim of a femoral trochlea, and the periphery of an intercondylar notch.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the synovial joint is a shoulder joint, and the attachment zone comprises a non-articulating portion of bone and/or cartilage within the shoulder.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the attachment zone comprises a band of bone and/or cartilage adjacent to at least one of the anatomical neck of a humerus, a glenoid cavity, and a glenoid neck.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the synovial joint is an arthroplastic joint comprising at least one prosthesis, and the attachment zone comprises a non-articulating portion of bone and/or cartilage within the joint.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the attachment zone comprises a band of bone and/or cartilage adjacent to the at least one prosthesis.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug release device is forcefully injected by gun.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the drug release device comprises threads on its outer surface, and the drug release device is affixed by drilling a hole in the attachment zone and screwing the drug release device into the hole.

19. A method of intra-articular drug delivery, comprising:

step for selecting a para-articular attachment zone in a synovial joint;

step for creating a void in the para-articular attachment zone; and

step for implanting in the void a drug-release means for sustainedly releasing a drug into the synovial fluid of the synovial joint.

20. A sustained-release intra-articular drug delivery device, comprising:

a base, so sized and shaped as to be affixable in an attachment zone of a synovial joint; and

a sustained-release drug carrier coupled to the base, the carrier including a drug, the carrier so formed as to elute the drug into synovial fluid, upon implantation of the device in a joint, sufficient to sustain a therapeutically effective concentration of the drug in the synovial fluid for at least 8 hours.