Medical or veterinary digestive tract utilization systems and methods

• US 20090110714A1
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 8,808,271 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/435
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for implementing or deploying medical or veterinary utility modules comprising a first module operable in a digestive or respiratory tract to engage a second module, optionally by a magnetic field. Alternatively or additionally, systems may be operable to remain in situ and also operable to permit a therapeutic material dispensation. In some contexts, for example, systems or methods may dispense a therapeutic material via a subject'"'"'s throat or elsewhere in the digestive or respiratory tract.

Claims

1-106. -106. (canceled)

107. A medical or veterinary system comprising:

a first module operable to remain in a digestive or respiratory tract of a subject for more than a day and to dispense a first therapeutic material responsive to a first device state and a second therapeutic material responsive to a second device state.

108. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

an antenna.

109. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

a dispenser.

110. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

update implementation circuitry.

111. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

one or more adaptable extender modules.

112. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

an adhesive operable for coupling with a mucous membrane.

113. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

the first module, small enough to pass through a pylorus of the digestive or respiratory tract per vias naturales.

114. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

a hormone.

115. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

an artificial marker.

116. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

a releasable dispenser.

117. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

a sensor.

118. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

a fluid-containing reservoir at a higher-than-ambient pressure.

119. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

a material flow path at least about one millimeter long.

120. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

an anti-inflammatory agent.

121. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

an antihyperglycemic medication.

122. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

an electrically conductive coil.

123. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

circuitry for transmitting measurement data.

124. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, including at least a material flow path at least about one millimeter long.

125. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, including at least a material flow path at least about one centimeter long.

126. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, including at least a material flow path at least about 10 centimeters long.

127. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, including at least a fluid-containing reservoir at a higher-than-ambient pressure.

128. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module outside the digestive or respiratory tract.

129. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, comprising at least a tethered structure.

130. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, comprising at least a binding agent.

131. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within a throat of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than an hour.

132. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within a throat of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a week.

133. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within a throat of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a month.

134. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, including at least an adhesive operable for coupling with a mucous membrane.

135. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to engage the first module by direct contact in situ.

136. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

an earlier-acting attachment feature operable for coupling the first module to a first portion of a mucous membrane; and

a later-acting attachment feature operable for initially coupling the first module to a second portion of the mucous membrane at least one minute after the earlier-acting attachment feature initially couples the first module to the first portion of the mucous membrane.

137. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, comprising at least an annular structure.

138. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, comprising at least a dental prosthetic.

139. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module external to the subject operable for communicating with at least the first module in situ.

140. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, comprising at least a wearable and removable item.

141. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, small enough to pass through a pylorus of the digestive or respiratory tract per vias naturales.

142. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within an esophagus of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than an hour.

143. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within an intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than an hour.

144. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within an esophagus or intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than an hour.

145. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within an esophagus or intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a month.

146. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within an esophagus or gastric compartment of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than an hour.

147. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within an esophagus or gastric compartment of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a month.

148. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within a gastric compartment or intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than an hour.

149. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a second module, operable to remain at least partly within a gastric compartment or intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a month.

150. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into an esophagus of the digestive or respiratory tract.

151. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into an intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract.

152. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107, further comprising:

a remote module operable for receiving status-indicative data from the first module.

178. The medical or veterinary system of claim 107 in which the first module comprises:

circuitry for obtaining optical or electrical measurement data;

circuitry for transmitting at least the optical or electrical measurement data including at least an electrically conductive coil configured as an antenna;

update implementation circuitry;

circuitry for obtaining concentration-indicative measurement data;

one or more releasable modules small enough to pass through a pylorus of the digestive or respiratory tract per vias naturales, at least one of the releasable modules including one or more of a sensor or a medication;

one or more reservoirs containing at least an artificial marker and one or more of a hormone, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an antihyperglycemic medication; and

one or more material flow paths at least about 10 centimeters long, extending from at least one of the one or more reservoirs.

179. The medical or veterinary system of claim 178, further comprising:

a second module comprising at least a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into a throat of the digestive or respiratory tract, a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into an esophagus of the digestive or respiratory tract, a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least out of a gastric compartment of the digestive or respiratory tract, and a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into an intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract; and

a remote module operable for receiving status-indicative data from the first module.

153-177. -177. (canceled)

180. A medical or veterinary system comprising:

a first module operable to remain in a digestive or respiratory tract of a subject for more than a day and to dispense a first therapeutic material responsive to a first device state and a second therapeutic material responsive to a second device state;

a second module comprising at least a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into a throat of the digestive or respiratory tract, a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into an esophagus of the digestive or respiratory tract, a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least out of a gastric compartment of the digestive or respiratory tract, and a material flow conduit segment extending from the first module at least into an intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract, and

a remote module operable for receiving status-indicative data from the first module.

181-244. -244. (canceled)