Medical devices using electrosensitive gels
First Claim
1. A method for delivering a medical material to a select location in the body of a human being or animal, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming one or more drug delivery units each including the medical material and a quantity of gel which is operable to change shape in the presence of an energy force, said medical material being supported by said quantity of said gel;
(b) disposing said one or more drug delivery units in a body duct;
(c) causing said one or more drug delivery units to travel to a select location in the body by applying an externally generated energy force; and
(d) when said one or more drug delivery units have arrived at said location, applying said medical material to body matter.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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 handheld 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.
143 Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A method for delivering a medical material to a select location in the body of a human being or animal, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) forming one or more drug delivery units each including the medical material and a quantity of gel which is operable to change shape in the presence of an energy force, said medical material being supported by said quantity of said gel;
(b) disposing said one or more drug delivery units in a body duct;
(c) causing said one or more drug delivery units to travel to a select location in the body by applying an externally generated energy force; and
(d) when said one or more drug delivery units have arrived at said location, applying said medical material to body matter. - 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, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
-
Specification
-
- Resources
-
Current AssigneeJerome H. Lemelson
-
Original AssigneeJerome H. Lemelson
-
InventorsLemelson, Jerome H.
-
Primary Examiner(s)Walberg, Teresa
-
Assistant Examiner(s)ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
-
Application NumberUS09/544,308Time in Patent Office782 DaysField of Search604/890.1,891.1,892.1,336,368 623/2.1US Class Current604/890.1CPC Class CodesA61K 9/0009 involving or responsive to ...A61M 25/01 Introducing, guiding, advan...A61M 25/0116 self-propelled, e.g. autono...A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/01...
