Interstitial fluid monitoring
First Claim
1. A method of measuring analyte concentrations in bodily fluids, comprising the steps of:
- a) focusing a laser beam with sufficient energy fluence to alter the skin at least as deep as the stratum corneum, but not as deep as the capillary layer; and
b) firing the laser to create a site of alteration, the site having a diameter of between 0.5 microns and 5.0 cm.c) collecting a sample of interstitial fluid released by steps (a) and (b); and
d) testing the fluid for analyte concentration.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved method of measuring analytes in bodily fluids without the use of a sharp. The method having the steps of irradiating the skin of a patient by focused pulses of electromagnetic energy emitted by a laser. By proper selection of wavelength, energy fluence, pulse temporal width and irradiation spot size, the pulses precisely irradiate the skin to a selectable depth, without causing clinically relevant damage to healthy portions of the skin. After irradiation, interstitial fluid is collected into a container or left on the skin. The interstitial fluid is then tested for a desired analyte to approximate the analyte concentration in other bodily fluids. Alternatively, after the forced formation of a microblister, the epidermis covering the microblister is lysed and the interstitial fluid is subsequently collected and tested.
324 Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A method of measuring analyte concentrations in bodily fluids, comprising the steps of:
-
a) focusing a laser beam with sufficient energy fluence to alter the skin at least as deep as the stratum corneum, but not as deep as the capillary layer; and b) firing the laser to create a site of alteration, the site having a diameter of between 0.5 microns and 5.0 cm. c) collecting a sample of interstitial fluid released by steps (a) and (b); and d) testing the fluid for analyte concentration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of measuring analyte concentration in bodily fluids, comprising the steps of:
-
a) applying sub-atmospheric pressure at the surface of the skin to induce the formation of a microblister; b) focusing a laser beam with sufficient energy fluence to lyse a microblister; c) firing the laser to lyse the blister; d) collecting a sample of interstitial fluid released by steps (a), (b) and (c); and e) testing the fluid for analyte concentration. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
Specification