System, devices, and methods including sterilizing excitation delivery implants with general controllers and onboard power

• US 20090163964A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Boyden, Edward S., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Dacey, Ralph G. JR., Santiago, Paul, Stewart, Todd J., Dowling, Joshua L., Rocca, Gregory J. Della
• Application Number:
  US12/315,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20090163964A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/482 Electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3006 Properties of materials and coating materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30668 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0023 Heat
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0052 Visible light
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0624 for eliminating microbes, germs, bacteria on or in the body

Abstract

Systems, devices, methods, and compositions are described for providing an actively-controllable disinfecting implantable device configured to, for example, treat or prevent an infection in a biological subject.

Claims

1. An implantable device, comprising:

a sterilizing stimulus providing portion;

an actively-controllable excitation component configured to deliver a sterilizing stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate the sterilizing stimulus providing portion of the implantable device;

a controller communicatively coupled to the sterilizing stimulus providing portion; and

a power source, the power source electromagnetically, magnetically, ultrasonically, optically, inductively, electrically, or capacitively-coupled to the actively-controllable excitation component.

2. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to apply a spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus.

3. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to apply an actively controllable spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus.

4. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to deliver at least one of

an electrical sterilizing stimulus, an electromagnetic sterilizing stimulus, an ultrasonic sterilizing stimulus, or a thermal sterilizing stimulus,

in vivo, to tissue proximate the sterilizing stimulus providing portion of the implantable device.

5. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to deliver an electrical stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate the sterilizing stimulus providing portion of the implantable device.

6. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to deliver one or more sterilizing stimuli.

7. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to concurrently or sequentially deliver at least a first sterilizing stimulus and a second sterilizing stimulus, the second sterilizing stimulus different than the first sterilizing stimulus;

wherein the first sterilizing stimulus comprise one of an electrical sterilizing stimulus, an electromagnetic sterilizing stimulus, an ultrasonic sterilizing stimulus, or a thermal sterilizing stimulus, and the second sterilizing stimulus comprises the different one of an electrical sterilizing stimulus, an electromagnetic sterilizing stimulus, an ultrasonic sterilizing stimulus, or a thermal sterilizing stimulus.

8. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control one or more parameters associated with a concurrent or sequential delivery of two or more sterilizing stimuli.

9. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one of a thermoelectric generator, a piezoelectric generator, a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) generator, or a biomechanical-energy harvesting generator.

10. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one of a button cell, a chemical battery cell, a fuel cell, a secondary cell, a lithium ion cell, a micro-electric patch, a nickel metal hydride cell, silver-zinc cell, a capacitor, a super-capacitor, a thin film secondary cell, an ultra-capacitor, or a zinc-air cell.

11. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises at least one rechargeable power source.

12. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to deliver an electromagnetic stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate the first outer surface.

13. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component is configured to deliver a sterilizing stimulus of a character and for a time sufficient to provide a spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus.

14. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component includes a spatially-patterned energy-emitting element configured to provide a spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus.

15. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component includes a spatially-patterned energy-emitting element configured to provide a spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus, the spatially-patterned energy-emitting element having a plurality of spaced apart electrodes.

16. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component includes a plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes configured to provide a spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus.

17. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component includes at least one patterned electrode, the at least one patterned electrode configured to provide a spatially-patterned sterilizing stimulus.

18. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the actively-controllable excitation component includes at least one energy-emitting component, the at least one energy-emitting component configured to provide a spatially-patterned light energy stimulus.

19. The implantable device of claim 18, wherein the at least one energy-emitting component is configured to provide a spatially-patterned optical energy stimulus.

20. The implantable device of claim 18, wherein the at least one energy-emitting component includes a patterned light source.

21. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one energy-emitting component, the at least one energy-emitting component configured to provide a spatially-patterned light energy stimulus.

22. The implantable device of claim 21, wherein the at least one energy-emitting component is configured to provide a spatially-patterned optical energy stimulus.

23. The implantable device of claim 21, wherein the at least one energy-emitting component includes a patterned light source.

24. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

a scaffold-forming material supply component configured to deliver at least one scaffold-forming material to the first outer surface.

25. The implantable device of claim 24, wherein the scaffold-forming material comprises at least one of scaffold-forming collagens, scaffold-forming proteins, or scaffold-forming substances.

26. The implantable device of claim 24 wherein the scaffold-forming material comprises one or more growth promoting materials.

27. The implantable device of claim 24 wherein the scaffold-forming material comprises one or more growth factors.

28. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors configured to determine at least one characteristic associated with a tissue proximate the first outer surface.

29. The implantable device of claim 28, wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of an infection indicator, an inflammation indicator, an infective stress indicator, or a sepsis indicator.

30. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for obtaining information.

31. The implantable device of claim 30, wherein the circuitry for obtaining for information includes circuitry for obtaining information associated with a delivery of the sterilizing stimulus.

32. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for obtaining information includes circuitry for obtaining at least one of a command stream, a software stream, or a data stream.

33. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one receiver configured to acquire information.

34. The implantable device of claim 33, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire instructions.

35. The implantable device of claim 33, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire information associated with delivery of the sterilizing stimulus.

36. The implantable device of claim 33, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire data.

37. The implantable device of claim 33, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire software.

38. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for providing information.

39. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for providing information includes circuitry for providing status information.

40. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to send information.

41. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one processor, the processor communicably-coupled to the actively-controllable excitation component and configured to control at least one of a duration time, a delivery location, or a spatially-patterned stimulation configuration associated with the delivery of the sterilizing stimulus.