Method and apparatus for enhancing flux rates of a fluid in a microporated biological tissue
First Claim
1. A method for enhancing the flux rate of a substance through a porated tissue, comprising the step of delivering an effective amount of a flux enhancer into the tissue through at least one micropore made into an outer layer of the tissue so that the flux enhancer acts on tissue structures in or beneath the outer layer thereby increasing the flux rate of a substance through the tissue, wherein the step of delivering the flux enhancer comprises step of positioning a quantity of flux enhancer adjacent the porated tissue and applying sufficient energy to the quantity of flux enhancer to vaporize at least a portion of the quantity of flux enhancer, thereby releasing at least a portion of the quantity of flux enhancer into the tissue through the at least one micropore.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for enhancing the flux rate of a fluid through a biological membrane. The method includes the steps of porating a section of the tissue to form one or more micropores in the tissue, and applying a flux enhancer to the tissue through the one or more micropores. The resulting enhancement of fluid flux in the tissue enables more effective harvesting from the body of fluids, as well as more effective delivery of a drug.
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Citations
40 Claims
- 1. A method for enhancing the flux rate of a substance through a porated tissue, comprising the step of delivering an effective amount of a flux enhancer into the tissue through at least one micropore made into an outer layer of the tissue so that the flux enhancer acts on tissue structures in or beneath the outer layer thereby increasing the flux rate of a substance through the tissue, wherein the step of delivering the flux enhancer comprises step of positioning a quantity of flux enhancer adjacent the porated tissue and applying sufficient energy to the quantity of flux enhancer to vaporize at least a portion of the quantity of flux enhancer, thereby releasing at least a portion of the quantity of flux enhancer into the tissue through the at least one micropore.
- 8. A method for enhancing the flux rate of a substance through a porated tissue, comprising the step of delivering an effective amount of a flux enhancer into the tissue through at least one micropore made into an outer layer of the tissue so that the flux enhancer acts on tissue structures in or beneath the outer layer thereby increasing the flux rate of a substance through the tissue, wherein the flux enhancer contains ammonia.
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17. A method of enhancing the flux rate of a substance through a biological membrane, comprising steps of:
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(a) porating the biological membrane to form at least one micropore in the biological membrane; and
(b) delivering an effective amount of a flux enhancer to through the micropore in the biological membrane, wherein the flux enhancer contains ammonia. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of enhancing the flux rate of a substance through a biological membrane, comprising steps of:
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(a) porating the biological membrane to form at least one micropore in the biological membrane;
(b) delivering an effective amount of a flux enhancer to through the micropore in the biological membrane, wherein the step of delivering an effective amount of a flux enhancer comprises steps of positioning a reservoir containing a quantity of flux enhancer adjacent the surface of the biological membrane, and applying sufficient energy to the reservoir of flux enhancer to vaporize at least a portion of the quantity of flux enhancer thereby releasing at least a portion of the quantity of flux enhancer from the reservoir into the at least one micropore;
wherein the steps of porating the membrane and applying sufficient energy comprise the step of introducing a heated element through the reservoir and into the biological membrane. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification