In Vivo Technology System for Human Gut Research, Diagnostics and Treatment

• US 20150112166A1
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shuck, L. Zane
• Original Assignee: Shuck, L. Zane
• Inventors: Shuck, L. Zane
• Granted Patent: US 9,215,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/309
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0038 Devices for taking faeces samples; Faecal examination devices anal receptacles A61F5/451
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0061 Alimentary tract secretions, e.g. biliary, gastric, intestinal, pancreatic secretions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• 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: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

A comprehensive system for gut in vivo exploration, discovery, characterization, research, diagnostics, and treatment comprising three different ingestible capsules and their associated methodologies, is provided for medical research and patient care. The system of tools is focused on discovery of causes of gut-based illnesses, treating, and curing them. The capsules perform unique functions, and as an in vivo healthcare system, provide for sampling, testing or diagnosing gut processes as a function of the length of the gut “x” and at any point in time “t”, including simultaneous chemical substance sampling and testing, along with the associated microbes. The in vivo system allows medications or system perturbation substances delivery, in a prescribed manner to the point of interest, and the resulting substances and microbes are simultaneously sampled upstream and downstream at the exact point and time of delivery. The system provides for microbes and associated chemical substances and gut digestion processes sampling with such detail and resolution as to permit quantitative system modeling and profiling of many aspects of the GI tract over its entire length. Likewise as a system, it simplifies gut analysis and diagnosis by reducing the number of variables from thousands to a manageable number for researchers, or physicians to deliver very specific patient care. The 3-capsule system, in conjunction with research and physician applications, generates huge volumes of raw and application data of sufficient numbers to utilize any gut characterization or modeling method, including that associated with Big Data. As a system, it is an enabling technology and catalyst for new educational and research institutions, businesses, industries, and the development of new complementary technologies.

Claims

I. I. A new In Vivo Gut Technology System (System) comprising new investigative and health care methods and processes, and composed of three individual, stand-alone inventions, that when combined logistically, strategically, and applied in combinations, comprise a synergistic, multidisciplinary system with diversified applications for gut healthcare.

I-1. I-1. As in claim I, wherein each of 3 independent invention Capsules A, B, and C comprising said In Vivo Gut Technology System (System) create independent Distribution Functions (DF'"'"'s or DF) of hundreds of variables as functions of gut length “

x” and

other variables, and each set of DF_A, DF_B, and DF_C, innate to, and limited to the innate capabilities of, their respective capsules create synergistic System capabilities.

I-2. I-2. As in claim I-1, wherein said System enabled DF and other quantitative capabilities in various combinations comprise new Research Methods and Processes of gut investigation, and new research tools.

I-3. I-3. As in claim I-1, wherein said System enabled DF and other quantitative capabilities in various combinations comprise new gut Diagnostic Methods, Processes, and tools for clinical applications by physicians of many medical professional disciplines

I-4. I-4. As in claim I-1, wherein said System enabled DF and other quantitative capabilities in various combinations comprise new gut Treatment Methods, Processes, and tools for clinical applications by physicians of many medical professional disciplines with specific patient gut illnesses identified, treated, and results measured at the point of event, and incorporated into a DF and abstract numerical or graphical model where comprehensive reference can be made for any reoccurrence.

I-5. I-5. As in claim I, wherein said system provides capabilities, samples, data, and data reduction and analysis is such manner to actually provide for discovery and disclosure of the causes of gut-based illnesses and diseases, as compared to existing technology capabilities of largely extra body researching, correlating and treating the symptoms.

I-6. I-6. As in claim I, wherein said System reduces the number of variables normally exceeding, perhaps 10,000 variables, by orders of magnitudes for researchers or clinical physicians, with extraneous variables eliminated and only patient specific variables remain, for comparison by utilizing combinations of Capsules A, B, C. along with results from personal physician prescribed applications, such as, specific point testing, sampling, and data interpretation.

II. II. A new In Vivo Gut Technology System (System) comprising new investigative and health care methods and processes, and composed of three individual, stand-alone inventions, that when combined logistically, strategically, and applied in combinations, comprise a synergistic, multidisciplinary system with diversified applications, wherein said capabilities in various combinations comprise new gut Abstraction Methods, Processes, and tools for quantitatively and mathematically representing gut functionality and dysfunction, general behavior, characteristics, healthy and unhealthy, and miscellaneous features in a manner suitable for computer software and hardware applications.

II-1. II-1. As in claim II, wherein said hardware and software applications include, but not limited to, numerical simulation models for numerous applications, passive and interactive diagnostic models and systems, passive and interactive treatment models and systems, and interactive database construction, as well as, model construction for specific illnesses and diseases

II-2. II-2. As in claim II, wherein said hardware and software applications include, but not limited to, Applications (APS) for generalized guidance in introduction and development of the new in vivo gut technology System

II-3. II-3. As in claim II, wherein said hardware and software applications include, but not limited to, Applications (APS) for Business Development, Business Management, Warehouse development, Prescription Creation and Management, and Technology Transfer, and incorporating all aspects of hardware and software applications for this new in vivo gut technology introduction and development as may be accommodated by abstraction of gut phenomena associated with said System.

II-4. II-4. As in claim II, wherein said System can generate not only qualitative or circumstantial, but quantitative proof or disproof of hypotheses for digestion processes, gut functions, dysfunctions and disorders, and causes of illnesses, diseases, and microbe based phenomena. For example, prove or disprove important hypotheses pertaining to effects of various microbes processing gut substances in a cascade manner that may create toxins and autoimmune responses, which can result in discovering the cause of certain gut diseases.

II-5. II-5. As in claim II, wherein with all combined data from System applications and as a result of System existence, such as all DF_A, DF_B, and DF_C in conjunction with all patient physician and research generated volumes of data over a period of time, sufficient knowledge and data are generated and accumulated for construction of holistic, quantitative models of the human gut

III. III. A new in vivo gut technology System, comprising new investigative and health care methods and processes, and composed of three individual, stand-alone inventions, that when combined logistically, strategically, and applied in combinations, comprise a synergistic, multidisciplinary System with diversified applications, wherein said capabilities in various combinations comprise an Enabling System foundation and framework process, upon which new gut-based institutions, businesses, and industries are created and trademarked.

III-1. III-1. As in claim III, wherein said System enabling capability results, of necessity, in new higher education multi and interdisciplinary professional training schools or colleges with specific interdisciplinary curriculum designed for this new gut in vivo technology System

III-2. III-2. As in claim III-1, wherein as an enabling technology, said System based higher education institutions offer multi and interdisciplinary educational degree programs based upon matrix organizational structure for efficiency and effectiveness in communications, multi and interdisciplinary teamwork model development, sharing of equipment and facilities, System reflective course syllabi, and overall results-oriented performance objectives and goals, all in contrast to traditional, obsolete, walls and halls of compartments and departments of isolation organization charts

III-3. III-3. As in claim III-2, wherein said System based institutions are created and so structured for research purposes and may be so trademarked.

III-4. III-4. As in claim III, wherein said System'"'"'s new enabling framework embellishes, incorporates, provides for and facilitates application of, and participates in, complementary bionanotechnology, especially sensor development, and the creation of new related spinoff Gut In Vivo System Technologies, and be so trademarked.

III-5. III-5. As in claim III, wherein a new trademarked Gut Laboratory (GL) enterprise facility and business with potential spinoff technology development is specially designed and created to accept, handle and manipulate System collected samples of chemical substances with accompanying microbes, and preserve them until such time said samples are tested and data collected for said intended System purposes, and said samples are appropriately disposed, and wherein said Laboratory is comprised of new specialized, modified, and adapted instrumentation, such as SEMs, spectrometers, chromatographs, and substantial computer-based detection, testing, pattern recognition, and other instrumentation, as well as, voluminous data processing and analysis.

III-6. III-6. As in claim III, wherein all System combinations of belts, pockets, sensors, provoking or perturbation substances, medications suitably packaged, strategies and methodologies as herein disclosed all together in their entirety, constitute an “

n-dimensional”

matrix of in vivo gut education, research, diagnostic, and treatment medical healthcare system, upon which entirely new type of warehouse, special substance preparations, special laboratory testing facilities, physician education and specialized training and expertise development, substance prescriptions, distribution, and pharmaceutical-like medical orchestration system, constitute an entirely new multi-disciplinary medical education, gut research methodology, healthcare delivery methodology and system, and new Gut Technology Industries (GTI'"'"'s), each to be trademarked as a part of a comprehensive new gut healthcare delivery system.