Methods and Devices for Thermal Treatment
First Claim
1. A method for increasing the permeability of a barrier, comprising the steps of:
- a) applying an effective amount of a substance to a selected site on the surface of a barrier;
b) providing a thermal treatment device including a microheater component having at least one microheater and positioning the thermal treatment device relative to the surface of the barrier;
c) energizing at least one microheater of the microheater component with a power supply component;
d) heating the substance to a temperature sufficient to increase the volume of the substance which ablates the surface of the barrier thereby increasing the permeability of the barrier.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention comprises methods and devices for thermal treatment of a barrier to increase the permeability of the barrier. One form of increasing the permeability of the barrier comprises forming micropores which may be used for administration of active agents across the barrier, or may be used for sampling or collecting fluids, or may be used for detecting, measuring or determining analytes, or may be used for monitoring of physiological or other conditions. Devices of the present invention may comprise microheaters that are activated by inductive or ohmic heating power supply components.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. A method for increasing the permeability of a barrier, comprising the steps of:
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a) applying an effective amount of a substance to a selected site on the surface of a barrier;
b) providing a thermal treatment device including a microheater component having at least one microheater and positioning the thermal treatment device relative to the surface of the barrier;
c) energizing at least one microheater of the microheater component with a power supply component;
d) heating the substance to a temperature sufficient to increase the volume of the substance which ablates the surface of the barrier thereby increasing the permeability of the barrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9)
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6. (canceled)
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10. A method for increasing the permeability of a barrier, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a microheater component including at least one microheater having an ablation material disposed therein;
b) energizing the microheater component with a power supply component;
c) heating the ablation material to a temperature sufficient to rapidly increase the volume of the ablation material which, in turn, ablates the surface of the barrier thereby increasing the permeability of the barrier.
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11-18. -18. (canceled)
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19. A thermal treatment device, comprising:
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a) a microheater component including at least one microheater having a thermal member including a base end and a tip end;
b) an ablation material in contact with the microheater; and
c) a power supply component which is configured to activate at least one microheater of the microheater component. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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23. (canceled)
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29. A microheater, comprising:
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a) a thermal member comprising a base end and a tip end; and
b) an ablation material in physical contact with the thermal member.
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30-34. -34. (canceled)
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35. A method of transdermal delivery of an active agent, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a transdermal patch having at least one active agent disposed therein;
b) contacting a selected site on a surface of a human or animal with a thermal treatment device including a microheater component having at least one microheater with a substance disposed therein;
c) energizing the at least one microheater, with a power supply component so as to heat the substance to a temperature sufficient to increase the volume of the substance thereby increasing the permeability of the surface; and
d) allowing the thermal treatment device to contact the surface for a sufficient amount of time for the transfer of an effective amount of the at least one active agent from the transdermal patch to the surface. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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41. (canceled)
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46. A method of transdermal delivery of an active agent, comprising the steps of:
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a) contacting a selected site on the surface of a human or animal with a thermal treatment device including a microheater component having at least one microheater with an ablation material in physical contact with the microheater;
b) energizing the microheater component with a power supply component so as to heat the ablation material to a temperature sufficient to increase the volume of the ablation material thereby increasing the permeability of the surface;
c) removing the microheater component; and
d) applying a transdermal patch having at least one active agent disposed therein to the selected site for a sufficient amount of time to transfer an effective amount of the at least one active agent from the transdermal patch to the surface. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
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47-64. -64. (canceled)
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67. A method of increasing the permeability of a barrier for sampling a fluid contained by the barrier, comprising the steps of:
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a) contacting a selected site on the surface of a barrier with a thermal treatment device including a microheater component having at least one microheater with an ablation material in physical contact with the microheater;
b) providing a means for sampling a fluid;
c) energizing the microheater component with a power supply component so as to heat the ablation material to a temperature sufficient to increase the volume of the ablation material thereby increasing the permeability of the barrier; and
d) sampling a fluid released by the barrier. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77)
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68-75. -75. (canceled)
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78. A system for transdermal delivery comprising:
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a) a thermal treatment device including a microheater component having at least one microheater with an ablation material in physical contact with the microheater;
b) a transdermal patch including at least one active agent; and
c) a power supply component which activates the microheater component to heat the ablation material to a temperature sufficient to increase the volume of the ablation material thereby increasing the permeability of an underlying barrier.
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Specification