Systems, devices, and methods including catheters having an actively controllable therapeutic agent delivery component

• US 20110144566A1
• Filed: 11/10/2010
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Victoria Y. H., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Leuthardt, Eric C., Dacey, Ralph G. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,734,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/21
• 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 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 1/205 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0043 intra-cavitary
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• 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. A catheter device, comprising:

a body structure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining one or more fluid-flow passageways;

one or more actuatable energy waveguides configured to direct an emitted energy stimulus to one or more regions proximate at least one of the outer surface and or the inner surface of the body structure and to deliver a patterned energy stimulus to the one or more regions proximate at least one of the outer surface and or the inner surface of the body structure; and

an active agent assembly including at least one reservoir, the active agent assembly configured to deliver one or more active agents from the at least one reservoir to one or more regions proximate at least one of the outer surface and or the inner surface of the body structure.

2. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuatable energy waveguides configured to deliver a spatially patterned energy stimulus.

3. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuatable energy waveguides configured to deliver a spaced-apart patterned energy stimulus.

4. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more actuatable energy waveguides configured to deliver a temporally patterned energy stimulus.

5. The catheter device of claim 1, further comprising:

control circuitry operably coupled to the one or more actuatable energy waveguides and configured to control at least one of a spaced-apart configuration parameter, an electromagnetic energy spatial distribution parameter, or an electromagnetic energy temporal distribution parameter associated with the delivery of the patterned energy stimulus.

6. The catheter device of claim 1, further comprising:

a computing device operably coupled to the one or more actuatable energy waveguides and configured to control at least one of a delivery regiment, a spatial distribution, or a temporal distribution associated with the delivery of the patterned energy stimulus.

7. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more energy-activatable disinfecting agents.

8. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more photoactive agents.

9. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more X-ray absorbers.

10. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more radiation absorbers.

11. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more active agents that selectively target bacteria.

12. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more antimicrobial agents.

13. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more antimicrobial peptides.

14. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the one or more active agents include one or more antibacterial agents.

15. The catheter device of claim 14, wherein one or more antibacterial agents include one or more antibacterial drugs.

16. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the active agent assembly is configured to deliver the one or more active agents in a spatially patterned distribution.

17. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the active agent assembly includes a plurality of spaced-apart controllable-release ports configured to deliver the one or more active agents in a spatially patterned distribution.

18. The catheter device of claim 1, wherein the active agent assembly includes a plurality of spaced-apart controllable-release ports configured to deliver the one or more active agents in a temporally patterned distribution.

19. The catheter device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of spaced-apart-release-ports; and

at least one computing device operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart release ports and configured to actuate one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart-release-ports between an active agent discharge state and an active agent retention state.

20. The catheter device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect at least one characteristic associated one or more regions proximate at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the body structure; and

at least one computing device operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart release ports and configured to actuate one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart-release-ports between an active agent discharge state and an active agent retention state based on a comparison of a detected characteristic to stored reference data.

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

at least one receiver configured to acquire information based at least in part on whether a detect at least one of an emitted optical energy or a remitted optical energy from one or more regions proximate at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the body structure satisfies a target condition.

22. The catheter device of claim 21, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire information associated with delivery of the one or more active agents.

23. The catheter device of claim 21, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire data.

24. The catheter device of claim 21, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to receive stored reference data.

25. The catheter device of claim 21, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to acquire software.

26. The catheter device of claim 21, wherein the at least one receiver is configured to receive data from one or more distal sensors.

27. A method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of a surface on an implanted portion of a catheter device, comprising:

selectively energizing one or more regions proximate at least one of an outer surface or an inner surface of the implanted portion of the catheter device via one or more energy-emitting components, and

delivering an active agent composition to the one or more regions proximate at least one of an outer surface or an inner surface of the implanted portion of the catheter device via one or more active agent assemblies,

in response to an automatically detected measurand associated with biological sample proximate at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the implanted portion of the catheter device.

28. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes delivering an electromagnetic energy stimulus to one or more regions proximate at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the implanted portion determined to have an infectious agent presence, the electromagnetic energy stimulus at a dose sufficient to modulate an activity of the infectious agent.

29. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes delivering at least one of an electromagnetic energy stimulus, an electrical energy stimulus, an acoustic energy stimulus, or a thermal energy stimulus in response to automatically detected measurand associated with biological sample proximate the at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the implanted portion of the catheter device.

30. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes delivering at least a first energy stimulus and a second energy stimulus to the one or more regions, the second energy stimulus having at least one of an emission intensity, an emission phase, an emission polarization, or an emission wavelength different from the first energy stimulus.

31. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes concurrently or sequentially delivering at least a first energy stimulus to a first region and a second energy stimulus to a second region.

32. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes concurrently or sequentially delivering at least a first spatially patterned energy stimulus to a first region and a second spatially patterned energy stimulus to a second region.

33. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes delivering a temporally patterned energy stimulus to the one or more regions.

34. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein selectively energizing the one or more regions includes concurrently or sequentially delivering a first energy stimulus to at least a first region and a second energy stimulus to at least a second region, the first energy stimulus comprising one of an electromagnetic energy stimulus, an electrical energy stimulus, an acoustic energy stimulus, or a thermal energy stimulus, and the second energy stimulus comprising a different one of an electromagnetic energy stimulus, an electrical energy stimulus, an acoustic energy stimulus, or a thermal energy stimulus.

35. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering an antimicrobial agent composition at a dose sufficient to attenuate an activity of the infectious agent in response to automatically detected measurand associated with the biological sample.

36. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering an energy-activatable antimicrobial agent composition including at least one photoactive agent, or a metabolic precursor thereof.

37. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering an energy-activatable antimicrobial agent composition including at least one X-ray absorber.

38. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering an energy-activatable antimicrobial agent composition including at least one radiation absorber.

39. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering an energy-activatable antimicrobial agent composition including at least one active agent that selectively targets bacteria.

40. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering a superoxide-forming composition.

41. The method of inhibiting a microbial colonization of the surface on the implanted portion of the catheter device of claim 27, wherein delivering the active agent composition includes delivering the active agent composition prior to selectively energizing the one or more regions.