Remotely Activated Piezoelectric Pump for Delivery of Biological Agents to the Intervertebral Disc and Spine

• US 20120041562A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pharmaco Kinesis Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pharmaco Kinesis Corporation
• Inventors: Shachar, Yehoshua, Chen, Thomas C., Farkas, Leslie, Jordan, Brett, Zimmerman, Kyle, Chan, Herwin, Wu, Winston
• Application Number:
  US13/283,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20120041562A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4465 having a circular or kidney shaped cross-section substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/2817 Bone stimulation by chemical reactions or by osteogenic or biological products for enhancing ossification, e.g. by bone morphogenetic or morphogenic proteins [BMP] or by transforming growth factors [TGF]
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30593 hollow
• 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 2002/30785 parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30787 inclined obliquely with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30841 Sharp anchoring protrusions for impaction into the bone, e.g. sharp pins, spikes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3092 having an open-celled or open-pored structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0294 Piezoelectric materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1003 Spinal column
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 pressurised by means of pistons

Abstract

A remotely activated piezoelectric pump for delivery of biological agents to the intervertebral disc and spine in order to achieve spinal fusion. A spinal pump is implanted on the vertebrae of a patient and a spinal cage is inserted in between two adjacent vertebrae after removal of the vertebrae disc. A piezoelectric motor drives the pump and pushes osteogenetic agent through the spinal cage and into a sponge disposed within the cage. The pump is charged by an external removable induction belt worn by the patient. Delivery duration and delivery frequency may be changed before implantation of the spine pump according to the specific needs of the patient. The current device employs a mathematical model that enables the regulation as well as attenuation of the bone fusion process by extending and generalizing the model to enhance and optimize the delivery of osteogenetic agent in a regulated manner.

Claims

1. An apparatus for delivering osteogenetic agent to the spine of a patient comprising:

a implanted spine pump coupled to a vertebra of the patient;

a spinal cage inserted between two adjacent vertebrae of the patient and coupled to the spine pump; and

a external removable means for supplying power to the spine pump by means of induction.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 where the spine pump comprises:

a pump control system;

a reservoir;

a piezoelectric motor coupled to and controlled by the pump control system;

a plurality of pump induction coils coupled to the pump control system; and

means for the piezoelectric motor to dispense the osteogenetic agent from the reservoir.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 where the spinal cage is substantially doughnut shaped and comprises:

an absorbable sponge disposed within the center of the spinal cage;

a main internal channel defined circumferentially about an inner radius of the spinal cage; and

a network of sub-channels coupled to and extending from the main internal channel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 where the external removable means for supplying power to the spine pump by means of induction comprises:

an induction charger;

a strap coupled to both ends of the induction charger; and

means for coupling the opposing ends of the strap not coupled to the induction charger together so as to keep the induction charger substantially stationary.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 where the induction charger comprises:

a control system, the control system comprising

a microcontroller;

a induction voltage generator coupled to the microcontroller;

a wireless communication chip coupled to the microcontroller;

a display coupled to the microcontroller; and

a battery coupled to the microcontroller; and

a set of induction coils coupled to the control system through the induction voltage generator.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 where the spine pump further comprises a plurality of accelerometers coupled to the spine pump, and

wherein at least one accelerometer is also coupled to a vertebra of the patient beneath the spinal cage.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising means for the spine pump to deliver the osteogenetic agent systematically and evenly through the spinal cage by a diffusion model stored within the pump control system.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 where the reservoir comprises means for refilling of the osteogenetic agent by a syringe.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 where the battery of the induction charger control system comprises means for recharging through an external wall outlet.

10. An apparatus for delivering osteogenetic agent to the spine of a patient comprising:

a implanted spine pump coupled to a vertebra of the patient;

a spinal cage inserted between two adjacent vertebrae of the patient and coupled to the spine pump; and

a external removable means for supplying power to the spine pump by means of induction, and

wherein the spine pump further comprises a plurality of accelerometers coupled to the spine pump, and where at least one accelerometer is also coupled to a vertebra of the patient beneath the spinal cage.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 where the external removable means for supplying power to the spine pump by means of induction comprises:

an induction charger;

a set of induction coils coupled to the induction charger;

a strap coupled to both ends of the induction charger; and

means for coupling the opposing ends of the strap not coupled to the induction charger together so as to keep the induction charger substantially stationary.