Magnetic Breather Pump and a Method for Treating a Brain Tumor Using the Same

• US 20090318903A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuro-Kinesis Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pharmaco Kinesis Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, David, Shachar, Yehoshua, Farkas, Laszlo, Chen, Thomas C., Farkas, Leslie, Marx, Bruce
• Granted Patent: US 7,799,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/891.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 35/00 Antineoplastic agents

Abstract

A magnetically controlled pump is implanted into the brain of a patient and delivers a plurality of medicating agents at a controlled rate corresponding to the specific needs of the patient. The current invention comprises a flexible double walled pouch that is formed from two layers of polymer. The pouch is alternately expanded and contracting by magnetic solenoid. When contracted, a medicating agent is pushed out of the pouch through a plurality of needles. When the pouch is expanded, surrounding cerebral fluid is drawn into the space between the double walls of the pouch from which it is drawn through a catheter to an analyzer. Cerebral fluid drawn from the patient is analyzed. The operation of the apparatus and hence the treatment is remotely controlled based on these measurements and displayed through an external controller.

Claims

1. A method for treating a brain tumor in a patient comprising:

surgically implanting a cranium pump beneath the skull and dura of the patient'"'"'s brain into a treatment site;

coupling the cranium pump to an analyzer unit via a fluid exchange catheter;

operating the cranium pump within the brain of the patient in order to dispense a medicating agent to the treatment site;

suctioning in a sample of cerebral fluid from the treatment site and transferring it to the analyzer unit;

tracking and monitoring the progress of the patient'"'"'s treatment via the analyzer unit;

altering and changing the patient'"'"'s treatment by controlling the analyzer unit; and

refilling and replacing a reservoir of medicating agent located in the analyzer unit.

2. The method of claim 1 where operating the cranium pump comprises contracting and expanding an inner membrane reservoir in the cranium pump by oscillation of a magnetic solenoid.

3. The method of claim 1 where suctioning the sample of the patient'"'"'s cerebral fluid further comprises suctioning the sample cerebral fluid into an intra-membrane reservoir defined between an outer and inner membrane in the cranium pump by the oscillation of a magnetic solenoid.

4. The method of claim 1 where tracking and monitoring the progress of the patient'"'"'s treatment further comprises passing the sample of cerebral fluid through a means for cerebral fluid analysis in the analyzer unit.

5. The method of claim 4 where passing the sample of cerebral fluid through a means of analysis further comprises displaying the results obtained from means for cerebral fluid analysis on a display.

6. The method of claim 1 where altering and changing the patient'"'"'s treatment by controlling the analyzer unit further comprises entering command functions and data into the analyzer unit from a remote keypad and displaying the commands on a display.

7. The method of claim 6 where altering and changing the patient'"'"'s treatment by controlling the analyzer unit further comprises sending command functions and data to the analyzer unit by means of a Bluetooth®

transceiver and antenna.

8. The method of claim 1 where refilling and replacing the reservoir of medicating agent located in the analyzer unit further comprises refilling and replacing at least four drug ampoules coupled to the analyzer unit.