Implantable variable permeability drug infusion techniques
First Claim
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1. An implantable dispensing device for delivering a treatment agent to a body including body fluid comprising in combination:
- a first chamber for holding said treatment agent;
a conduit between said first chamber and said body;
a second chamber for holding a hygroscopic media;
means for applying pressure to said first chamber due to an increase in volume of said media in said second chamber so that said treatment agent is delivered through said conduit to said body;
a variable permeability membrane capable of adjusting the rate at which the volume of said media is increased; and
means for controlling the the permiability of said variable permiability membrane, whereby the rate of delivery of said treatment agent may be adjusted.
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Abstract
An implantable dispensing device for delivering a treatment agent to a body including a body fluid in which a variable permeability membrane responds to changes in an electro-magnetic parameter in order to vary the rate at which a hygroscopic media increases in volume, thereby controlling the rate of delivery of a treatment agent, such as a drug.
129 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An implantable dispensing device for delivering a treatment agent to a body including body fluid comprising in combination:
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a first chamber for holding said treatment agent; a conduit between said first chamber and said body; a second chamber for holding a hygroscopic media; means for applying pressure to said first chamber due to an increase in volume of said media in said second chamber so that said treatment agent is delivered through said conduit to said body; a variable permeability membrane capable of adjusting the rate at which the volume of said media is increased; and means for controlling the the permiability of said variable permiability membrane, whereby the rate of delivery of said treatment agent may be adjusted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of delivering a treatment agent to a body including body fluid comprising the steps of:
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implanting a dispensing device having a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber containing said treatment agent and coupled to deliver said treatment agent to said body, said second chamber containing a hygroscopic media and having a variable permeability membrane; applying pressure to said first chamber due to an increase in volume of said media in said second chamber so that said treatment agent is delivered to said body; and controlling the rate at which the volume of said media is increased with said variable permeability membrane; whereby the rate of delivery of said treatment agent may be adjusted. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An implantable dispensing device for delivering a treatment agent to a body including body fluid comprising in combination:
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a first chamber for holding said treatment agent; a conduit between said first chamber and said body; a second chamber for holding a hygroscopic media; means for applying pressure to said first chamber due to an increase in volume of said media in said second chamber so that said treatment agent is delivered through said conduit to said body; a power source generating an electromagnetic parameter; a variable permeability membrane responsive to changes in said electro-magnetic parameter for controlling the rate at which the volume of said media is increased; and means for controlling the value of said electromagnetic parameter, whereby the rate of delivery of said treatment agent is controlled.
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Specification