Medical or veterinary digestive tract utilization systems and methods

• US 20090105561A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Langer, Robert, Boyden, Edward S., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US11/998,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20090105561A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/302
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3576 with non implanted data transmission devices, e.g. using external transmitter or receiver
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for implementing or deploying medical or veterinary utility modules (a) operable for mooring at least partly within a digestive tract, (b) small enough to pass through the tract per vias naturales and including a wireless-control component, (c) having one or more attachment protrusions positionable adjacent to a mucous membrane, (d) configured to facilitate redundant modes of attachment, (e) facilitating a “primary” material supply deployable within a stomach for an extended and/or controllable period, (f) moored by one or more adaptable extender modules supported by a subject'"'"'s head or neck, and/or (g) configured to facilitate supporting at least a sensor within a subject'"'"'s body lumen for up to a day or more.

Claims

1-179. -179. (canceled)

180. A medical or veterinary system comprising:

one or more sensor-containing modules each small enough to pass through a digestive tract;

a mooring module operable to remain in the digestive tract for more than a day; and

one or more tethers configured to establish an effective range of motion of the one or more sensor-containing modules relative to the mooring module within the digestive tract.

181. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more sensor-containing modules comprise:

circuitry for detecting one or more thermal conditions.

182. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more sensor-containing modules comprise:

circuitry for detecting one or more acidity-indicative conditions.

183. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more sensor-containing modules comprise:

circuitry for receiving one or more condition detection criterion updates.

184. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more sensor-containing modules comprise:

circuitry for transmitting measurement data via a wireless signal.

185. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more sensor-containing modules comprise:

circuitry for invoking one or more actuators.

186. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more mooring modules comprise:

one or more anti-inflammatory-agent-containing reservoirs in the digestive tract.

187. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more mooring modules comprise:

one or more anticoagulation-agent-containing reservoirs in the digestive tract.

188. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more mooring modules comprise:

one or more liquid-adhesive-containing reservoirs in the digestive tract.

189. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more mooring modules comprise:

a first component module;

a second component module; and

at least one structure coupling at least the second component module to the first component module.

190. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more tethers comprise:

one or more material flow paths.

191. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more tethers comprise:

one or more signal flow paths.

192. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more tethers comprise:

one or more local-separation-inducing features.

193. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180, further comprising:

one or more dispensers operable for dispensing via a stomach of the digestive tract.

194. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180, further comprising:

one or more dispensers operable for dispensing directly into an intestine of the digestive tract.

195. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180, further comprising:

one or more single-use dispensers.

196. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180, further comprising:

one or more releasable dispensers.

209. The medical or veterinary system of claim 180 in which the one or more sensor-containing modules comprise:

circuitry for detecting one or more thermal conditions;

circuitry for detecting one or more acidity-indicative conditions;

circuitry for receiving one or more condition detection criterion updates; and

circuitry for transmitting measurement data via a wireless signal.

210. The medical or veterinary system of claim 209 in which the one or more mooring modules comprise:

a first component module comprising at least an anti-inflammatory-agent-containing reservoir in the digestive tract;

a second component module comprising at least an anticoagulation-agent-containing reservoir in the digestive tract;

a third component module comprising at least a liquid-adhesive-containing reservoir in the digestive tract; and

a capsule coupling at least the first, second, and third component modules together.

211. The medical or veterinary system of claim 210 in which the one or more tethers comprise:

at least one tether with a local-separation-inducing feature, with a signal flow path from the one or more sensor-containing modules to control circuitry in the one or more mooring modules, with a first material flow path controlled by the control circuitry from at least the first component module to a first outlet, with a second material flow path controlled by the control circuitry from at least the second component module to a second outlet, and with a third material flow path controlled by the control circuitry from at least the third component module to a third outlet.

197-208. -208. (canceled)