Subcutaneous apparatus and subcutaneous method for treating bodily tissues with electricity or medicaments

• US 6,334,859 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 01/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MicroTech Medical Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zuli Holdings, Ltd.
• Inventors: Richter, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Kennedy, Sharon
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, CATHERINE SERKE
• Application Number:
  US09/360,893
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 604/20, 604/22, 604/501-503, 604/890.1, 604/93.65, 604/66, 604/2, 604/891.1, 601/2
• US Class Current: 604/503
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/002 Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• 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: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02

Abstract

A therapeutic device and therapeutic method for delivering electrical energy or a medicament to a body tissue or organ utilizing ultrasonic vibration to cause a device implanted in the body tissue or organ to be treated to discharge an electrical current or medicament to the target area.

Claims

1. A method of treating body tissue, comprising the steps of:

a) preparing a device capable of generating electrical current at a therapeutic voltage and amperage in response to ultrasonic vibrations;

the device further provided with sensor means, the sensor means adapted to receive preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue, the sensor means adapted to communicate with and selectively energize a means for selectively generating and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations to the device in response to the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue;

b) disposing the device beneath the skin in the vicinity of the tissue to be treated; and

c) sensing with the sensor means the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue;

d) energizing the means for selectively generating ultrasonic vibrations in response to sensing the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue; and

e) subjecting the device to ultrasonic vibrations in an amount and for a period of time sufficient for the device to generate electrical currents at a therapeutic voltage and amperage, wherein the sensor means is disposed on the device.

2. A method of treating body tissue, comprising the steps of:

a) preparing a device containing;

a housing provided with a medicament storage compartment;

an oscillating member attached to the housing and communicating with the medicament storage compartment, the oscillating member adapted to oscillate in response to ultrasonic stimulation;

a medicament port disposed on the housing and in fluid communication with the medicament storage compartment, the medicament port adapted to permit a medicament to be introduced into and contained in the compartment and further adapted to selectively release the medicament from the medicament storage compartment in response to oscillations of the oscillating member; and

sensor means disposed on the device, the sensor means adapted to receive preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue, the sensor means adapted to communicate with and selectively energize a means for selectively generating and transmitting ultrasonic vibrations to the oscillating member in response to the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue;

a) introducing a medicament through the medicament port and into the medicament storage compartment;

b) disposing the device beneath the skin in the vicinity of the tissue to be treated; and

c) sensing with the sensor means the preselected stimuli generated by the body tissue; and

d) subjecting the oscillating member to ultrasonic vibrations in an amount and for a period of time sufficient for the oscillating member to oscillate in an amount and for a period of time to cause the desired quantity of medicament to be discharged from the medicament storage compartment through the medicament port to the tissue to be treated, wherein the sensor means is disposed on the apparatus.