Therapeutic Light-Emitting Device

• US 20110034972A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of St Andrews
• Original Assignee: Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust, University of St Andrews
• Inventors: Ferguson, James, Samuel, Ifor David William
• Granted Patent: US 9,067,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0645 Applicators worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0653 Organic light emitting diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/11 characterised by the electroluminescent [EL] layers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/114 Poly-phenylenevinylene; Derivatives thereof

Abstract

An ambulatory device for use in a therapeutic and/or cosmetic treatment, the device comprises an organic light-emitting semiconductor which, in use, covers an area to be treated and emits electromagnetic radiation to cause said therapeutic and/or cosmetic treatment of the area. The light source may be extensive to provide uniform irradiation of the area to be treated and may be pulsed. The device may also include a photopharmaceutical.

Claims

1. An ambulatory device for use in photodynamic therapy, the device comprising an electromagnetic radiation source, attachment means for attaching the electromagnetic radiation source to a patient and control means for activating and deactivating the source to cause the latter to emit a succession of light pulses for activating a photodynamic chemical, whilst reducing the effects of photobleaching on the chemical.

2. An ambulatory device according to claim 1, wherein an electronic control circuit or microprocessor is provided to control the pulsing, duration of exposure(s) of an area to be treated and/or the intensity of emitted light.

3. An ambulatory device according to claim 1, wherein the photodynamic chemical is a photochemical and/or a photopharmaceutical substance which is photobleachable or which is metabolised in vivo to a photobleachable chemical species.

4. An ambulatory device according to claim 1, wherein the succession of light pulses forms a train of pulses and wherein the duration of the pulses is substantially the same as the interval between successive pulses.

5. An ambulatory device accordingly to claim 1, wherein the succession of light pulses has a period in the range of 20 ms to 2000 s, depending on the photobleaching characteristics of the photodynamic chemical.

6. An ambulatory device according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic radiation source is a laser or an organic light-emitting semiconductor.

7. An ambulatory device according to claim 1 for use in the treatment of a human or animal patient by photodynamic therapy.

8. An ambulatory device according to claim 1 which is adapted to conform to the surface of the area to be exposed to light.

9. An ambulatory device according to claim 1 which is flexible so as to be capable of being formed into any of a number of possible different configurations in advance or extemporaneously to the shape of the body part to which it is to be applied.

10. An ambulatory device according to claim 1 which includes a transparent or translucent substrate layer.

11. An ambulatory device according to claim 1 which includes an adhesive surface for attaching the device to a patient.

12. An ambulatory device according to claim 1, electromagnetic radiation source wherein the organic light-emitting semiconductor is an organic light-emitting diode.

13. An ambulatory device according to claim 1, wherein the light output is pulsed with a period of at least 20 ms, at least 200 ms, at least 2 s, at least 20 s, at least 200 s or at least 2000 s.

14. An ambulatory device according to claim 1 further comprising a photopharmaceutical preparation.

15. An ambulatory device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the photopharmaceutical preparation comprises an inactive compound which is metabolised in vivo to an active compound.