Device, System and Method for In-Vivo Sampling

• US 20080208077A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Given Imaging Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Iddan, Gavriel J., Rabinovitz, Elisha
• Granted Patent: US 8,394,034 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/582
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0045 Devices for taking samples of body liquids devices for taking blood samples A61B5/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes

Abstract

A device, system and method for in-vivo sampling. An in-vivo device and method for use thereof may include a sampling chamber and a gating mechanism. The sampling chamber may store a sample of a body lumen substance, and the gate may close and open an opening of the sampling chamber.

Claims

1. An in-vivo device comprising:

a sampling chamber able to store a sample of a body lumen substance; and

a gate able to close and open an opening of said sampling chamber.

2. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said gate is a passive gate.

3. The in-vivo device of claim 2, wherein said gate is an active gate.

4. The in-vivo device of claim 3, comprising:

a controller able to open said gate when a pre-defined condition is met.

5. The in-vivo device of claim 3, comprising:

a controller able to open said gate in response to a signal.

6. The in-vivo device of claim 5, wherein said signal is received from an external transmitter.

7. The in-vivo device of claim 5, wherein said signal is generated based on an analysis of an in-vivo image.

8. The in-vivo device of claim 5, wherein said signal is generated by an in-vivo sensor in response to a sensed parameter.

9. The in-vivo device of claim 8, wherein said sensed parameter is a parameter selected from a group consisting of:

temperature, pH, pressure, bacteria, and enzyme activity.

10. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising an absorbent component to absorb at least a portion of said body lumen substance.

11. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said chamber comprises a vacuum.

12. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising a capillary to transport said body lumen substance into said chamber.

13. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising a wide inlet to freely transport said body lumen substance into said chamber.

14. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising a pump to pump in said body lumen substance into said chamber.

15. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising a pump to pump out a content from said chamber.

16. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said chamber comprises a reagent to interact with said body lumen substance.

17. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said chamber comprises an indicator to interact with said body lumen substance.

18. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising:

a first, flexible conductive plate able to repel from a second conductive plate when current is supplied to said first and second conductive plates; and

a power source to supply said current to said first and second conductive plates.

19. The in-vivo device of claim 18, comprising:

a well having a cavity between said first and second conductive plates.

20. The in-vivo device of claim 18, comprising:

a first well having a first cavity between said first and second conductive plates; and

a second well having a second cavity between said first and second conductive plates.

21. The in-vivo device of claim 20, wherein said sample is able to advance from said first well to said second well.

22. The in-vivo device of claim 21, wherein said first well comprises a first reagent and said second well comprises a second, different reagent.

23. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said gate comprises a dissolvable material.

24. The in-vivo device of claim 1, comprising an imager to acquire an image of said body lumen substance stored in said chamber.

25. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said in-vivo device is autonomous.

26. The in-vivo device of claim 1, wherein said in-vivo device is a swallowable capsule.

27. An in-vivo device comprising:

a first chamber to collect a first body lumen substance; and

a second chamber to collect a second body lumen substance.

28. The in-vivo device of claim 27, comprising:

a first gate to close an opening of said first chamber; and

a second gate to close an opening of said second chamber.

29. The in-vivo device of claim 28, wherein said first gate is substantially open when said second gate is substantially closed.

30. The in-vivo device of claim 28, wherein at least one of said first and second gates is dissolvable.

31. The in-vivo device of claim 28, wherein said second gate is able to substantially completely dissolve after said first gate is able to substantially completely dissolve.

32. The in-vivo device of claim 31, wherein said first gate comprises a first volume of a dissolvable material, and wherein said second gate comprises a second, different volume of said dissolvable material.

33. The in-vivo device of claim 32, wherein said first gate comprises a first dissolvable material, and wherein said second gate comprises a second, different dissolvable material.

34. The in-vivo device of claim 33, wherein said first material is dissolvable in response to a first pH level, and wherein said second material is dissolvable in response to a second, different pH level.

35. The in-vivo device of claim 33, wherein said first material is dissolvable in response to a first temperature, and wherein said second material is dissolvable in response to a second, different temperature.

36. The in-vivo device of claim 33, wherein said first material is dissolvable in response to a first pressure, and wherein said second material is dissolvable in response to a second, different pressure.

37. The in-vivo device of claim 33, wherein said first material is dissolvable in response to a first enzymatic activity, and wherein said second material is dissolvable in response to a second, different enzymatic activity.

38. The in-vivo device of claim 27, wherein said in-vivo device is autonomous.

39. The in-vivo device of claim 27, wherein said in-vivo device comprises a swallowable capsule.

40. A method comprising:

collecting a substance in a sampling chamber of an in-vivo device, wherein said sampling chamber has an opening closeable by a gate.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising acquiring in-vivo an image of said sampling chamber.

42. The method of claim 40, comprising opening said gate at a point in time after insertion of said in-vivo device into a body.