Implanted muscle powered drug dispensing system

• US 4,713,054 A
• Filed: 03/04/1986
• Issued: 12/15/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Esther Veramae Hamel Revocable Living Trust As Amended October 25 1989
• Original Assignee: Esther V.M. Hamel, Kelly L. Thomas, Robert P. Bielka
• Inventors: Bielka, Robert P., Hamel, Esther V. M., Kelly, L. Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US06/836,010
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 604/152, 604/153, 604/151, 604/9, 604/89, 604/182, 604/212, 604/66, 604/65, 604/67, 128/DIG. 12, 128/1 R, 417/417
• US Class Current: 604/89
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 13/00 Thermometer holders specially adapted to veterinary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/00 Devices or methods for introducing solid, liquid, or gaseous remedies or other materials into or onto the bodies of animals for reproduction or fertilisation A61D19/00 ; devices for implanting pellets, radon seeds or the like A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/20 Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/12 Pressure infusion

Abstract

A muscle powered liquid dispensing insert is provided for use with an implanted anchor having a hollow anchor sleeve extending into the subcutaneous fascia of a region behind an animal'"'"'s ear. The insert includes one or more balloon-like reservoirs, each containing a drug or other medicant in substantially liquid form. Each reservoir means additionally provides effective means for anchoring the insert in the animal. A pump assembly draws the medicant(s) from the reservoir(s), and dispenses such to the animal. The pump assembly has a toroidal pump body defining a pump chamber and including a flexible impermeable pump diaphragm. The pump chamber communicates through inlet check valve means with each of the reservoirs, and through outlet check valve means with the tissue of the animal. The outlet check valve means operate at a higher activation pressure than the inlet check valve means. A piston powered solely by the animal'"'"'s muscle and tissue operates the pump diaphragm. One or more tubes communicating through the interior of the anchor sleeve between an associated reservoir and a self-sealing opening allow the reservoirs to be refilled. A cap and plug seal the anchor sleeve against the entry of contaminants and other foreign material, and support the self-sealing ends of the tubes. The plug can be removed to allow the insert to be removed from the anchor by means of a suitable tool.

Claims

1. A muscle powered liquid drug delivery device implanted in the region behind an animal'"'"'s ear bounded cranially by the posterior border of the conchal cartilage, caudally by the anterior border of the cleidooccipitalis muscle, and medially by the splenius muscle, said device comprising:

(a) balloon-like reservoir means including a plurality of balloon-like reservoirs, said reservoir means in expanded condition aiding in anchoring the device in the animal; and

(b) pump means having inlet means in fluid communication with each of said reservoirs and outlet means in fluid communication with the adjacent tissue of the animal, said pump means including a pump body defining a pump chamber and including a flexible impermeable pump body, said pump chamber communicating through inlet valve means with the reservoir means, and through outlet valve means with the animal'"'"'s tissue surrounding the device, a piston having a piston head fixedly attached to an upper portion of the pump body, a piston shaft fixedly attached to and depending from the piston head and extending downwardly to a lower end positioned adjacent the animal'"'"'s splenius muscle, said lower end and in turn the piston being translated by movement of the animal'"'"'s muscles and tissues to vary the volume of the pump chamber, and means biasing the piston in a direction which minimizes the volume of the pump chamber, said pump means further including compressive means actuating flow of fluid therethrough responsive to flexure of the animal'"'"'s muscles and tissues surrounding and underlying said region, whereby the liquids from the reservoirs are mixed in said pump means.

2. A muscle powered liquid dispensing insert for use with an implanted anchor having a hollow anchor sleeve extending into the subcutaneous fascia of an animal, comprising:

(a) one or more balloon-like reservoirs disposed below a lower end of the anchor sleeve, each such reservoir containing a drug or other medicant in substantially liquid form;

(b) a pump assembly positioned at the lower end of the anchor sleeve adjacent said one or more reservoirs, said pump assembly having;

(i) a pump body defining a pump chamber and including a flexible impermeable pump diaphragm, said pump chamber communicating through separate inlet valve means with each of the one or more reservoirs, and through outlet valve means with the tissue of the animal,

(ii) a piston having

(A) a piston head fixedly attached to the pump diaphragm,

(B) a piston shaft fixedly attached to and depending from the piston head and extending downwardly to a lower end positioned adjacent a muscle of the animal, said piston being translated by movement of the animal'"'"'s muscles so as to vary the volume of the pump chamber, and

(C) means biasing the piston in a direction which minimizes the volume of the pump chamber; and

(c) one or more tubes, each tube communicating through the interior of the anchor sleeve between an associated reservoir and a sealable accessible opening.

3. The insert of claim 2, wherein the anchor is implanted in a region behind the animal'"'"'s ear bounded cranially by the posterior border of the conchal cartilage, caudally by the anterior border of the cleidooccipitalis muscle, and medially by the splenius muscle.

4. The insert of claim 2 comprising two or more balloon-like reservoirs, wherein the pump chamber mixes the substantially liquid medicants or other drugs contained in the reservoirs.

5. The insert of claim 2, wherein the one or more reservoirs extend laterally outwardly beyond the anchor sleeve a sufficient distance to provide effective additional means anchoring the anchor and insert in the animal.

6. The insert of claim 2, further including a substantially rigid cylindrical wall encircling the pump body and being fixedly attached to at least part of an inner surface of each of the one or more reservoirs.

7. The insert of claim 2, wherein the pump body comprises a substantially toroidal surface, and wherein the lower portion of the pump body is substantially less flexible than the pump diaphragm.

8. The insert of claim 2, further including a disc-like pad fixedly attached to the lower end of the piston shaft, said pad having a diameter at least about three times the outer diameter of the piston shaft.

9. The insert of claim 2, wherein the inlet valve means comprises one or more ball-type check valves, each such inlet check valve permitting flow from its associated reservoir through said valve into the pump chamber only when the pressure in said reservoir exceeds the pressure in the pump chamber by at least a predetermined inlet activation pressure.

10. The insert of claim 2, wherein the outlet valve means comprises one or more ball-type check valves permitting flow from the pump chamber through the one or more outlet check valves to the animal'"'"'s tissues oly when the pressure in the pump chamber exceeds the pressure in the volume between the insert and the animal'"'"'s tissue by at least a predetermined outlet activation pressure.

11. The insert of claim 10, wherein the inlet valve means comprises one or more ball-type check valves, each such inlet check valve permitting flow from its associated reservoir through said valve into the pump chamber only when the pressure in said reservoir exceeds the pressure in the pump chamber by at least a predetermined inlet activation pressure which is substantially lower than the outlet activation pressure of the outlet valves.

12. The insert of claim 2, further including sealing means for preventing the entry of foreign matter into the interior of the anchor through spaces between the access openings of the tubes.

13. The insert of claim 12, wherein the sealing means comprises:

(a) a cap covering a peripheral portion of an upper opening of the anchor sleeve, said cap having one or more holes extending between opposite surfaces thereof, each such hole accepting an upper portion of one of the tubes, and

(b) a cylindrical plug covering a central portion of the upper opening of the anchor sleeve not covered by the sealing cap, wherein the sealing cap and plug completely seal the area within the upper opening of the anchor sleeve.

14. The insert of claim 13, wherein the sealing cap includes one or more flexible tube sleeves axially aligned with and having substantially the same inner diameter as the tube holes of the cap, each of said tube sleeves fixedly attached to and depending from the cap into the interior of the anchor sleeve, each tube sleeve accepting an additional portion of the upper end of an associated one of the one or more tubes.

15. The insert of claim 14, wherein the sealing cap and the one or more tube sleeves form an integral unit constructed of a relatively soft flexible compliant material, and wherein a longitudinal slit extends along the length of each tube sleeve.

16. The insert of claim 15, wherein the sealing means can be at least partially removed to allow the insert to be removed from the anchor by means of a suitable tool.

17. In combination with an implanted anchor having a flat anchor flange positionable adjacent the surface of the animal'"'"'s skin, an anchor sleeve fixedly attached around an opening of the anchor flange and extending therefrom into the animal, healing material disposed around an upper portion of the anchor sleeve, said healing material aiding the healing of the animal'"'"'s tissue and growth of said tissue to the healing material, and one or more upwardly and outwardly projecting barbs disposed around a lower portion of the sleeve, a muscle powered liquid dispensing insert comprising:

(a) one or more balloon-like reservoirs disposed below a lower end of the anchor sleeve, each such reservoir containing a drug or other medicant in substantially liquid form;

(b) a pump assembly positioned at the lower end of the anchor sleeve adjacent said one or more reservoirs, said pump assembly having;

(i) a pump body defining a pump chamber and including a flexible impermeable pump diaphragm, said pump chamber communicating through separate inlet valve means with each of the one or more reservoirs, and through outlet valve means with the tissue of the animal,

(ii) a piston having

(A) a piston head fixedly attached to the pump diaphragm,

(B) a piston shaft fixedly attached to and depending from the piston head and extending downwardly to a lower end positioned adjacent the animal'"'"'s splenius muscle, said piston being translated by movement of the animal'"'"'s splenius muscle and tissues so as to vary the volume of the pump chamber, and

(C) means biasing the piston in a direction minimizing the volume of the pump chamber; and

(c) one or more tubes, each tube communicating through the interior of the anchor sleeve between an associated reservoir and a sealable accessible opening.

18. A liquid drug delivery system comprising:

(a) an implanted anchor having a flat anchor flange positioned adjacent the surface of the animal'"'"'s skin, an anchor sleeve fixedly attached around an opening of the anchor flange and extending therefrom into the animal, healing material disposed around an upper portion of the anchor sleeve, said healing material aiding healing of the animal'"'"'s tissue and growth of said tissue to the healing material, and barb means disposed around the sleeve; and

(b) a muscle powered insert having one or more balloon-like reservoirs disposed below a lower end of the anchor sleeve and containing one or more drugs or other medicants in substantially liquid form;

a pump assembly positioned at the lower end of the anchor sleeve adjacent said one or more reservoirs, said pump assembly having a pump body defining a pump chamber and including a flexible impermeable pump diaphragm, said pump chamber communicating through separate inlet valve means with each of the one or more reservoirs, and through outlet valve means with the tissue of the animal, a piston having a piston head fixedly attached to the pump diaphragm, a piston shaft fixedly attached to and depending from the piston head and extending downwardly to a lower end positioned adjacent the animal'"'"'s muscles, said piston being translated by movement of the animal'"'"'s muscles and tissues so as to vary the volume of the pump chamber, means biasing the piston in a direction which minimizes the volume of the pump chamber, and one or more tubes, each tube communicating through the interior of the anchor sleeve between an associated reservoir and a sealable access opening.