MEDICAL DEVICE WITH RESERVOIR-BASED SENSORS

• US 20100137696A1
• Filed: 01/15/2010
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microchips Biotech, Inc. (Keratin Biosciences, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MicroCHIPS Inc.
• Inventors: Langer, Robert S., Young, Chung Chang, Santini, John T. JR., Sheppard, Norman F. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,611 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/345
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 47/6957 the form being a device or a kit, e.g. stents or microdevices
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/0002 General or multifunctional contrast agents, e.g. chelated agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0004 Osmotic delivery systems; Sustained release driven by osmosis, thermal energy or gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/10 for hyperglycaemia, e.g. antidiabetics
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00351 Means for dispensing and evacuation of reagents
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00819 Materials of construction
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00822 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00824 Ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00828 Silicon wafers or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00831 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00833 : Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00835 : Comprising catalytically active material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00844 : Comprising porous material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00853 : Employing electrode arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00873 : Heat exchange
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 : Mixing micromixers B01F33/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00907 : using membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00925 : Irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00952 : Sensing operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00957 : Compositions or concentrations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00966 : pH
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0097 : Optical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00984 : Residence time
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00986 : Microprocessor
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 : Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/023 : Sending and receiving of information, e.g. using bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/049 : Valves integrated in closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0627 : Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0654 : Lenses; Optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0819 : Microarrays; Biochips
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0677 : phase change valves; Meltable, freezing, dissolvable plugs; Destructible barriers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50853 : with covers or lids
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00158 : Elements containing microarrays, i.e. "biochip"
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/00247 : Microvalves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49007 : Indicating transducer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 : Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation

Abstract

A medical device is provided which may include a reservoir which has an opening and contains a sensor; a reservoir cap closing off the opening to isolate the sensor from an environmental component outside the reservoirs, the reservoir cap being impermeable to the environmental component and adapted to selectively undergo a phase change to disintegrate the reservoir cap and thereby expose the sensor to the environmental component. A method of use may include (i) selectively disintegrating a reservoir cap to expose a sensor which is disposed inside a reservoir of a device implanted in a patient, the disintegrating comprising inducing a phase change in the reservoir cap; and (ii) using the sensor to generate an output signal, wherein the output signal is recorded and stored in a writeable computer memory chips, directed to a microprocessor for immediate analysis and processing, or sent to a remote location away from the device.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device which comprise

at least one reservoir which has an opening and contains a sensor,

at least one reservoir cap closing off the opening to isolate the sensor from an environmental component outside the reservoirs, the reservoir cap being impermeable to the environmental component,

wherein the reservoir cap is adapted to selectively undergo a phase change to disintegrate the reservoir cap and thereby expose the sensor to the environmental component.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor provides an output signal for transmission to a remote receiver source.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the transmission comprises radio transmission.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the output signal is used in controlling and monitoring the release of molecules from another reservoir in the device or from another device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a sensor for measuring electrical conductivity.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor include an electrochemical transducer.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the transducer is amperometric.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the transducer is potentiometric.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an enzyme or antibody recognition element.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a sensor for detecting carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, dioxygen, ethanol, ionized calcium, sodium ion, potassium ion, lithium ion, hydrogen ion, chloride ion, magnesium ion, ammonium ion, hydrogen peroxide, ascorbic acid, cholesterol, uric acid, esterified cholesterol, urea, creatinine, creatine, triglycerides, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase-MB, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, bilirubin, amylase, or lipase.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry and a power source for selectively inducing the phase change in the reservoir cap.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the reservoir cap comprises a metal film.

13. A method comprising:

selectively disintegrating at least one reservoir cap to expose a sensor which is disposed inside a reservoir of a device implanted in a patient, the disintegrating comprising inducing a phase change in the reservoir cap; and

using the sensor to generate an output signal,

wherein the output signal is (i) recorded and stored in a writeable computer memory chips, (ii) directed to a microprocessor for immediate analysis and processing, or (iii) sent to a remote location away from the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the output signal which is sent to a remote location away from the device is transmitted to a remote receiver source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the transmission to a remote receiver source comprises radio transmission.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the output signal is used in controlling and monitoring the release of molecules from another reservoir in the device or from another device.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein electric power for the device is supplied by a microbattery included with the implanted device or remotely by wireless transmission.