Medical devices using electrosensitive gels

• US 5,800,421 A
• Filed: 06/12/1996
• Issued: 09/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US08/662,345
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 222/95-96, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/132, 604/153, 604/246, 604/131
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis microelectromechanical systems A61K9/0097
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0116 self-propelled, e.g. autonomous robots A61M25/0122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00

Abstract

An intelligent material unit formed of an intelligent gel encapsulated within an enclosure. When the gel is actuated by a change in temperature thereof, such as heat and/or by an externally applied field such as an electrical current, electric field, magnetic field, ultrasonic energy (or sonic), microwave energy, a laser beam or a combination thereof, at least a portion of the wall of the container or enclosure is deformed to perform a mechanical function or operation; such as to valve a fluid or cause movement of the container and gel through a fluid or in a passageway. The container may be a thin-skinned flexible plastic, such as an elastomer and may be elongated or sausage-like in shape, or strip-like. It may be free travelling, cantilever-supported or otherwise mounted or attached to a device, machine or element. It may also carry a drug for delivery therefrom at a select location and time.

A system apparatus and method is also disclosed for delivering a quantity of a drug, tissue, cells, genetic material, sensor, implant or implant material, repair material, diagnostic material, protein, hormone or the like or a combination thereof to a select location in the body, such as in an artery, vein, or a portion of the digestive tract. In one form, a select amount of such a (medical) material is disposed within a so-called intelligent gel per se or in one or more small capsules or the like in or attached to such intelligent gel or a container therefor, such as a thin skinned flexible elongated balloon-like enclosure. Such elongated, narrow container or strip of electrical energy or magnetic or radio-frequency energy force responsive gel attached to or containing medical material, is inserted into a body duct such as a vein or artery and is caused to "swim" or wiggle therealong to a select location therein by passing electrical energy through the blood (and vessel wall) and/or by means of an alternating magnetic or radio-frequency field controllably applied thereto with a hand-held instrument which is moved by hand to induce such movement and/or controllably may move such field in a manner to induce the gel to move or swim to the select location. In a particular form, the drug and gel are small enough in size to pass into the bloodstream through the wall of the small intestine after being swallowed, as a drug unit along with other such drug units--when so located at the select location in the body duct, the drug carried by the intelligent gel or (sausage-like) membrane or thin skin contained unit is released therefrom by biodegradation or other means, such as by radio-frequency, ultrasonic or magnetic field energy applied from outside the body or a catheter, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. A drug delivery device comprising an aliquot of a drug;

a closed, flexible sack surrounding said drug;

a layer of expandable copolymer gel surrounding said flexible sack;

a permeable membrane surrounding said layer of expandable copolymer gel; and

electrode means operably coupled to said expandable copolymer gel to cause controllable contraction of said expandable copolymer gel in response to a voltage applied to said electrode means.

2. The drug delivery device of claim 1, further comprising at least one passageway communicating between said the interior of said flexible sack containing said drug, and the exterior of said permeable membrane.

3. The drug delivery device of claim 1, in which said permeable membrane has an extended surface operable to increase mass transfer rates across said permeable membrane.

4. The drug delivery device of claim 1, further comprising an impermeable, flexible container loosely surrounding said layer of expandable copolymer gel, and containing an electrolyte solution in addition to said expandable copolymer gel.

5. The drug delivery device of claim 4, further comprising at least one passageway communicating between the interior of said closed flexible sack containing said drug, and the exterior of said impermeable, flexible container.

6. The drug delivery device of claim 1, further comprising computer control means for monitoring and controlling the rate and quantity of drug delivered.

7. The drug delivery device of claim 1, wherein said drug delivery device is incorporated into a catheter having proximal and distal end portions, at said distal end portion.