System, devices, and methods including actively-controllable sterilizing excitation delivery implants

• US 20100145412A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• 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., Della Rocca, Gregory J., Santiago, Paul, Stewart, Todd J., Dowling, Joshua L.
• Application Number:
  US12/380,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20100145412A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/48 Operating or control means, e.g. from outside the body, control of sphincters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/481 Acoustic or audible means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/482 Electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30087 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0097 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/08 Radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/14 Plasma, i.e. ionised gases
• 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: A61M 5/001 Apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising syringes or needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/205 for promoting a biological process
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

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

1-171. -171. (canceled)

172. A method, comprising:

sending information to an implantable device, prior, during, or after delivery of a sterilizing stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate a first outer surface of the implantable device, and

generating a response based on the sent information.

173. The method of claim 172, wherein sending information to the implantable device includes sending information to an implantable device, prior, during, or after delivery of at least one of an electrical sterilizing stimulus, an electromagnetic sterilizing stimulus, an ultrasonic sterilizing stimulus, or a thermal sterilizing stimulus.

174. (canceled)

175. (canceled)

176. A method, comprising:

sending information to an implantable device, the implantable device comprising;

a first outer surface,

an actively-controllable excitation component configured to deliver a sterilizing stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate the first outer surface of the implantable device, and

a controller operably coupled to the actively-controllable excitation component.

178. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending information associated with at least one of an authentication protocol, an authorization protocol, a sterilizing stimulus delivery protocol, an activation protocol, an encryption protocol, or a decryption protocol.

179. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending information associated with at least one of an electrical sterilizing stimulus delivery protocol, an electromagnetic sterilizing stimulus delivery protocol, an ultrasonic sterilizing stimulus delivery protocol, or a thermal sterilizing stimulus delivery protocol.

181. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending at least one of an instruction stream, an encrypted data stream, an authentication data stream, or an authorization data stream.

182. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending at least one of an activation code, an error code, a command code, or an authorization code.

183. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending at least one of patient information, sensor information, sensed data, physiological sensor data, or physiological reference data.

184. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending at least one of a sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen parameter, a spaced-apart sterilizing stimulus delivery pattern parameter, a spatial electric field modulation parameter, a spatial electric field magnitude parameter, a spatial electric field distribution parameter, an ON-rate, or an OFF-rate.

186. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending information associated with at least one of an electrical sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen parameter, an electromagnetic sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen parameter, an ultrasonic sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen parameter or a thermal sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen parameter.

187. The method of claim 176, wherein sending information includes sending information associated with at least one of a scaffold-forming material delivery pattern parameter, a scaffold-forming material delivery regimen parameter, or a scaffold-forming material delivery rate parameter.

188. The method of claim 176, further comprising:

receiving information from the implantable device.

189. The method of claim 188, wherein receiving information includes receiving implantable device information, patient information, user information, sterilizing stimulus delivery information, stored information, sterilization regimen information, regulatory compliance information, sensor information, or implantable device use information.

190. The method of claim 188, wherein receiving information from the implantable device includes receiving regulatory compliance information or regulatory use information.

177. (canceled)

180. (canceled)

185. (canceled)

191. A method, comprising:

sending a first information stream to an implantable device; and

sending a second information stream to the implantable device based on a response to the sent first information stream.

192. The method of claim 191, wherein sending the first information stream includes sending information associated with at least one of a scaffold-forming material delivery pattern parameter, a scaffold-forming material delivery regimen parameter, or a scaffold-forming material delivery rate parameter.

193. The method of claim 191, wherein sending the first information stream includes sending information associated with at least one of a cryptographic protocol, a decryption protocol, an encryption protocol, a regulatory compliance protocol, or regulatory use protocol.

194. The method of claim 191, wherein sending the second information stream includes sending information associated with at least one of a scaffold-forming material delivery pattern parameter, a scaffold-forming material delivery regimen parameter, or a scaffold-forming material delivery rate parameter.

196. The method of claim 191, wherein sending the second information stream includes sending information associated with at least one of a sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen parameter, a spaced-apart sterilizing stimulus delivery pattern parameter, a spatial electric field modulation parameter, a spatial electric field magnitude parameter, or a spatial electric field distribution parameter.

195. (canceled)

197. A method, comprising:

receiving information from an implantable device, the implantable device comprising;

a first outer surface,

an actively-controllable excitation component configured to deliver a sterilizing stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate the first outer surface of the implantable device, and

a controller communicatively coupled to the actively-controllable excitation component.

199. The method of claim 197, wherein receiving information includes receiving sensor data.

200. The method of claim 197, wherein receiving information includes receiving a control signal.

201. The method of claim 197, wherein receiving information includes receiving a request for transmission of information.

205. The method of claim 197, wherein receiving information includes receiving information associated with at least one of a spaced-apart electrical sterilizing stimulus delivery pattern parameter, a spatial electric field modulation parameter, a spatial electric field magnitude parameter, or a spatial electric field distribution parameter.

206. The implantable device of claim 197, further comprising:

generating a response based on the received information.

208. The implantable device of claim 206, wherein generating the response includes generating at least one of a control signal, data, a command, an authorization, an update, or a code.

209. The implantable device of claim 206, wherein generating the response includes at least one of storing at least one parameter associated with the received information, storing at least a portion of the received information, or decrypting at least a portion of the received information.

210. The implantable device of claim 206, wherein generating the response includes at least one of initiating a cryptographic protocol, initiating a decryption protocol, or initiating an encryption protocol.

198. (canceled)

202. (canceled)

203. (canceled)

204. (canceled)

207. (canceled)

211. A method, comprising:

providing to an implantable device one or more parameters associated with the actively-controlled delivery of a sterilizing stimulus.

212. The method of claim 211, further comprising:

providing information to the implantable device based on a generated response to the provided one or more parameters.

213. The method of claim 211, wherein providing the one or more parameters includes providing information to the implantable device, the information associated with the actively-controlled delivery of 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 implantable device.

218. The method of claim 211, wherein providing the one or more parameters includes providing information associated with a spatial-pattern of the sterilizing stimulus.

220. The method of claim 211, wherein providing the one or more parameters includes providing information associated with a temporal-pattern of the sterilizing stimulus.

222. The method of claim 211, wherein providing the one or more parameters includes providing one or more parameters associated with an electrical sterilizing stimulus delivery regimen.

223. The method of claim 211, wherein providing the one or more parameters includes providing one or more parameters associated with at least one of a spaced-apart electrical sterilizing stimulus delivery pattern parameter, a spatial electric field modulation parameter, a spatial electric field magnitude parameter, or a spatial electric field distribution parameter.

224. The method of claim 211, further comprising:

obtaining information associated with at least one physiological characteristic associated with a biological subject from the implantable device.

225. The method of claim 224, wherein providing the one or more parameters includes providing the one or more parameters based at least in part on the obtained information.

227. The method of claim 224, wherein obtaining information includes obtaining one or more parameters associated with at least one of a temperature, an impedance, a sodium level, a density, a glucose level, a cholesterol level, a triglyceride level, a hormone level, a blood oxygen level, a pulse rate, a blood pressure, or a respiratory rate associated with the biological subject.

229. The method of claim 224, wherein obtaining information includes obtaining one or more hematological parameters associated with a hematological abnormality.

230. The method of claim 224, wherein obtaining information includes obtaining one or more parameters associated with at least one of neutropenia, neutrophilia, thrombocytopenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation, bacteremia, or viremia.

231. The method of claim 224, wherein obtaining information includes obtaining one or more parameters associated with at least one of an infection marker, an inflammation marker, an infective stress marker, or a sepsis marker.

234. The method of claim 224, wherein obtaining information includes obtaining one or more parameters associated with at least one of an infection indicator, an inflammation indicator, an infective stress indicator, or a sepsis indicator.

237. The method of claim 224, wherein obtaining the second information includes obtaining one or more parameters associated with at least one of an infection, an inflammation, an infective stress, or a sepsis.

214-217. -217. (canceled)

219. (canceled)

221. (canceled)

226. (canceled)

228. (canceled)

232. (canceled)

233. (canceled)

235. (canceled)

236. A method, comprising:

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

obtaining a second information from the implant based on a response to the first information; and

providing information to the implant based on the second information.

238-241. -241. (canceled)

242. A method, comprising:

receiving information from an implantable device, before, during, or after delivery of a sterilizing stimulus, in vivo, to tissue proximate a first outer surface of the implantable device, and

generating a response based on the received information.

243. The method of claim 242, wherein receiving information from the implantable device, before delivery of the sterilizing stimulus includes receiving information from the implantable device, before delivery of 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 a first outer surface of the implantable device.

244. The method of claim 242, wherein generating the response includes activating a third-party device.

245. The method of claim 242, wherein generating the response includes at least one of an activating an authorization protocol, an authentication protocol, or a software update protocol.

248. The method of claim 242, wherein generating the response includes activating a data transfer protocol.

249. The method of claim 242, wherein generating the response includes activating an infection sterilization diagnostic protocol.

246. (canceled)

247. (canceled)