Self-powered implanted programmable medication system and method
First Claim
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1. A self-powered programmable apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for periodically dispensing selected medication therein according to a selected program coordinated with need while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
- (a) a storage member mounted within the body for storing selected medication to be dispensed therein;
(b) a micro size power source mounted within implanted housing means and having a useful working life in terms of at least several days;
(c) miniaturized dispensing means mounted within implanted housing means and adapted to be operated under programmed electrical control to cause selected said medication to be discharged from the implanted storage member into said body; and
(d) miniaturized programmable electrical control circuit means mounted within implanted housing means and connected to be energized by said power source, said electrical control means being adapted for performing control operations according to program instructions for actuation of said dispensing means, said control means embodying selectable and resettable plural program configurations, each program configuration providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and medical dispensation therefor, thereby providing in singular and plural programs assocated therewith a complex programming capability accommodating differential times and rates, means for extracting said data and means for applying said data to operate said dispensing means, said circuit means being set in a configuration corresponding to one of such programs and being adapted to actuate said dispensing means according to the selected program to dispense said medication within said body at times and rates determined by said program.
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Abstract
A device and method for dispensing medication internally of the body utilize an implanted system which includes medication storage and dispensing control circuitry having control components which may be modified by means external of the body being treated to control the manner of dispensing the medication within such body. Coordinated pacemaking is also available.
968 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A self-powered programmable apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for periodically dispensing selected medication therein according to a selected program coordinated with need while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) a storage member mounted within the body for storing selected medication to be dispensed therein; (b) a micro size power source mounted within implanted housing means and having a useful working life in terms of at least several days; (c) miniaturized dispensing means mounted within implanted housing means and adapted to be operated under programmed electrical control to cause selected said medication to be discharged from the implanted storage member into said body; and (d) miniaturized programmable electrical control circuit means mounted within implanted housing means and connected to be energized by said power source, said electrical control means being adapted for performing control operations according to program instructions for actuation of said dispensing means, said control means embodying selectable and resettable plural program configurations, each program configuration providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and medical dispensation therefor, thereby providing in singular and plural programs assocated therewith a complex programming capability accommodating differential times and rates, means for extracting said data and means for applying said data to operate said dispensing means, said circuit means being set in a configuration corresponding to one of such programs and being adapted to actuate said dispensing means according to the selected program to dispense said medication within said body at times and rates determined by said program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 18, 19, 20)
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11. A self-powered programmable apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for periodically evaluating selected internal physiological states of such body and for periodically dispensing selected medication substance therein according to such states while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) a storage member mounted within the body for storing selected substance to be dispensed therein; (b) a micro size power source mounted within implanted means and having a useful working life in terms of at least several days; (c) miniaturized implanted dispensing means connected to receive said substance from said storage member and adapted to be operated at selected times and being adapted when so operated to cause selected said substance to be discharged from the storage member into said body; (d) sensing means selectively placed within said body for providing sensed signals convertible to electrical data corresponding to a sensed condition within said body; (e) connector means connected to said sensing means for transferring such signals for processing; (f) miniaturized electrical data evaluation and timing means mounted within implanted housing means and connected to be energized by said power source and comprising; (i) miniaturized electrical evaluation circuit means connected through said connector means to said sensing means and adapted to receive selected data from said sensing means and convert such data into an electrically processable form and adapted for electrically evaluating such sensed data; (ii) timing means operatively connected to said circuit means and providing both long term and short term electrical time base information thereto whereby said dispensing means is operated in coordination with selected evaluations; and (iii) associated circuit means responsive to external signal control enabling selected elements of said evaluation circuit and timing means to be selected and set in or to be reset to a selected operational program configuration selected from plural potential configurations therein, each program configuration providing a selection of logic stored digital control data accommodating for differential times and rates corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and needed substance dispensation therefor, thereby providing a complex programming capability determinative of the manner and mode of operation of said evaluation circuit and timing means; and (g) control means located external of said body for producing said signal control to select said program or programs. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22)
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23. A self-powered programmable apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for periodically evaluating selected internal physiological states of such body and for periodically dispensing selected medication substance therein according to such states while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) a storage member mounted within the body for storing selected substance to be dispensed therein; (b) a micro size power source mounted within implanted means and having a useful working life in terms of at least several days; (c) miniaturized dispensing means connected to receive said substance from said storage member and adapted to be operated at selected times and being adapted when so operated to cause selected said substance to be discharged from the storage member into said body; (d) sensing means selectively placed within said body for providing sensed signals convertible to electrical data corresponding to a sensed condition within said body; (e) connector means connected to said sensing means for transferring such signals for processing; (f) miniaturized electrical data evaluation and timing means and connected to be energized by said power source and comprising; (i) miniaturized electrical evaluation circuit means connected through said connector means to said sensing means and adapted to receive selected data from said sensing means and convert such data into an electrically processable form and adapted for electrically evaluating such sensed data; (ii) timing means operatively connected to said circuit means and providing electrical time base information thereto whereby said dispensing means is operated in coordination with selected evaluations; and (iii) associated circuit means responsive to external signal control enabling selected elements of said evaluation circuit and timing means to be set in a selected operational program configuration selected from plural potential configurations therein, said associated circuit means including switch contact means adapted to receive a needle connector for transmitting signal control reprogramming data through a hardwire connection and wherein said control means includes needle connector means enabling said signal control to pass therethrough to reprogram; and (g) control means located external of said body for producing said signal control to vary said program or programs.
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24. The method for periodically evaluating selected internal physiological states of an animal body, including human, and for periodically dispensing selected medication substance therein according to such states while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) implanting a storage member within the body and storing therein a selected substance to be dispensed therefrom; (b) implanting a micro size power source having a useful working life in terms of at least several days; (c) implanting miniaturized dispensing means connected to receive said substance from said storage member and adapted to be operated at selected times to cause selected said substance to be discharged from the storage member into said body; (d) implanting sensing means for providing sensed signals convertible to electrical data corresponding to a sensed condition within said body; (e) implanting connector means connected to said sensing means for transferring such signals for processing; (f) implanting miniaturized electrical data evaluation and timing means and connected to be energized by said power source and comprising; (i) miniaturized electrical evaluation circuit means connected through said connector means to said sensing means and adapted to receive selected data from said sensing means and convert such data into an electrically processable form and adapted for electrically evaluating such sensed data; (ii) timing means operatively connected to said circuit means and providing electrical time base information thereto whereby said dispensing means is operated in coordination with selected evaluations; and (iii) associated circuit means responsive to external signal control enabling selected elements of said evaluation circuit and timing means to be set in a selected operational program configuration selected from plural potential configurations therein, each program configuration providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and needed substance dispensation therefor, thereby providing a complex programming capability determinative of the manner and mode of operation of said evaluation circuit and timing means; and (g) positioning control means external of said body for producing said signal control to select said program or programs; and (h) allowing said sensing means to operate, to produce signals corresponding to physiological states within the said body and allowing said substance to be dispensed to a selected site within the body on a schedule and program as determined by said data evaluation and timing means over a long period of time and by the program signal control established by said control means.
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25. A self-powered programmable dispensing apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for altering a selected internal state of such body and for periodically dispensing selected substance therein while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) storage means received within the body for storing selected substance to be dispensed therein; (b) a micro size power source received within the body and having a useful working life in terms of at least several hours; (c) miniaturized dispensing means received within the body and communicating with said storage means and being adapted when operated to discharge said substance from the storage means into said body; and (d) miniaturized electrical control means received within the body and connected to be energized by said power source and comprising; (i) miniaturized electrical circuit means adapted to be selectively set and reset to any of various operating modes for establishing a control program for operating said dispensing means, each of said operating modes providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and appropriate substance dispensation therefor, means for extracting said data and means for applying said data to operate said dispensing means thereby providing a complex program capability; and (ii) timing means operatively connected to said circuit means and providing electrical time base information thereto.
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26. A self-powered combined medicating and cardiac pacer apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for periodically dispensing selected medication therein and pacing the heart thereof through electrodes connected thereto while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) a storage member received within the body and adapted to store selected medication to be dispensed therein; (b) a micro size power source mounted within implanted housing means and having a useful working life in terms of at least several days; (c) miniaturized electrical control means adapted to both provide controlled electrical impulses on electrode means for heart pacing purposes and electrical control for the operation of dispensing means, selectable and resettable circuit means within said control means providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and medication dispensation therefor, thereby providing in singular and plural programs associated therewith a complex programming capability, means for extracting said data and means for applying said data to operate said dispensing means and pace said heart according to the program mode in which said program circuit means has been set; (d) miniaturized dispensing means connected to said storage member and adapted to be operated by said control means to cause said medication to be discharged from the storage member into said body; (e) electrode means adapted to be connected to the heart of said body and having a connection to said control means for receiving electrical impulses for evaluation to pace said heart in coordination with dispensing of said medication; and (f) selectable and resettable circuit means within said control means providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and medication dispensation therefor, thereby providing in singular and plural programs associated therewith a complex programming capability, means for extracting said data and means for applying said data to operate said dispensing means and heart pacing means according to the program mode in which said program circuit means has been set.
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27. A self-powered combined medication dispensing and electrically stimulating apparatus adapted to be totally received within a selected animal body, including human, for periodically dispensing selected substance therein and electrically stimulating a selected organ thereof through electrodes connected thereto while leaving the body ambulatory at all times, comprising:
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(a) storage means received within the body for storing selected substance to be dispensed therein for treating said body; (b) a micro size power source mounted within implanted housing means and having a useful working life in terms of at least several days; (c) miniaturized electrical control means adapted to both provide controlled electrical impulses on electrode means for organ electrical stimulating purposes and electrical control for the operation of dispensing means; (d) miniaturized dispensing means connected to said storage means and adapted to be operated by said control means to cause said substance to be discharged from storage means into said body; (e) electrode means adapted to be connected to a selected organ of said body and having a connection to said control means for receiving electrical impulses to electrically stimulate said organ in coordination with dispensing of said substance; and (f) selectable and resettable program circuit means within said control means providing a selection of logic stored digital control data corresponding to a set of predetermined body conditions and substance dispensation therefor, thereby providing in singular and plural programs associated therewith a complex programming capability, means for extracting said data and means for applying said data to operate said dispensing means and stimulate said organ according to the program mode in which said program circuit means has been set.
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Specification