Method and apparatus for skin absorption enhancement and transdermal drug delivery

• US 6,748,266 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattioli Engineering Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mattioli Engineering Corporation
• Inventors: Bernabei, Gian Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/201,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 607/3, 607/149, 604/20-22, 604/500-501, 601/15, 601/17
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0263 using rotating unbalanced masses
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/002 Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/008 Suction kneading
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/0007 having means for enhancing the permeation of substances through the epidermis, e.g. using suction or depression, electric or magnetic fields, sound waves or chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0092 using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0424 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/044 Shape of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/325 for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body electrodes for external use A61N1/0428
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0008 Destruction of fat cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

Application of electrical pulses is made in a controlled manner, in order to increase the absorption of substances applied previously on the skin. Optionally, mechanical vibrations may also be provided to the skin to increase the absorption effect. The electrical pulses are provided to the skin by way of an array of electrodes disposed on a vibrating head plate, and the mechanical vibrations are provided to the skin by way of the vibrating head plate being made to vibrate (if that option is utilized). Preferably, the electrical and mechanical vibrations are at the same frequency and phase with respect to each other, in order to increase the absorption effect. Also, at the same time the electrical pulses are provided to the skin, a syringe containing a skin enhancement substance or a drug is actuated so as to move a particular amount of the substance from the skin, whereby the substance is passed through a tube and then into a groove surrounding a central electrode of the array of electrodes disposed on the plate. The substance is absorbed within the skin as a result.

Claims

1. A treatment method for enhancing absorption of substances provided on a skin surface of a patient, comprising:

a) applying a substance within a syringe;

b) applying a sequence of bursts of electrical pulses to an array of electrodes that are placed a region of the skin, the array of electrodes being disposed on a head of a probe; and

c) at the same time as step b), causing the substance to be output from the syringe and onto the head of the probe, in a controlled manner,

wherein the sequence of bursts of electrical pulses are provided to the region of the skin in order to enhance absorption of the substance applied to the region of the skin,

wherein the electrodes are round electrodes with one central electrode and a plurality of non-central electrodes disposed around the central electrode,

wherein one electrical pulse is provided solely to the one central electrode, and

wherein another electrical pulse is provided to the plurality of non-central electrodes that are electrically connected to each other but not to the one central electrode.

2. The treatment method according to claim 1, further comprising:

d) at a same time as step b) and step c), applying a mechanical vibration to the region of the skin of between 10 to 200 Hz, the mechanical vibration being provided by vibrating the head of the probe.

3. The treatment method according to claim 1, wherein a D.C. current is applied between the electrodes and a ground plate connected to the patient.

4. The treatment method according to claim 1, wherein the sequence of pulses are provided at a frequency between 50 to 15,000 Hz and peak voltage between 20 and 200 V.

5. The treatment method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prior to step a), performing a dermabrasion on the region of the skin.

6. An apparatus for enhancing absorption of substances provided on a skin region of a patient, comprising:

an array of electrodes provided on a head of a probe;

a syringe that is configured to hold the substance to be provided on the skin region of the patient;

a frame in which the syringe is fixedly mounted;

a pulse generator configured to generate a sequence of bursts of electrical pulses to the array of electrodes that are placed on the skin; and

moving means for moving a piston of the syringe so as to output a particular amount of the substance from the syringe and onto the head of the probe at a particular rate,

wherein the sequence of bursts of electrical pulses are provided to the skin region by way of the array of electrodes at the same time the outputting means is causing the substance to be output from the syringe, in order to enhance absorption of the substance applied to the skin region when the head of the probe is placed against the skin region of the patient,

wherein the array of electrodes comprises;

a central electrode; and

a plurality of non-central electrodes disposed around the central electrode,

wherein a groove is provided only around the central electrode and not around said plurality of non-central electrodes in order to accept the substance output from the syringe.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the electrical pulses are output at a frequency between 50 to 15,000 Hz and peak voltage between 20 and 200 V.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the moving means comprises:

a motor;

an output rod coupled to the motor and configured to rotate when the motor operates; and

a slide coupled to one end of the output rod,

wherein the slide is disposed against the piston of the syringe, and operates to push the piston inwards when the motor operates.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a tube that couples the syringe to the groove wherein the tube is adapted to fit within a trough provided on the head of the probe to thereby have an end of the tube provided adjacent to the groove,

wherein the substance flows from the syringe and into the groove by way of the tube.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a motor; and

an eccentric for receiving output from the motor and for providing an eccentric force to the head of the probe, the eccentric force causing mechanical vibrations of the head which are translated to the skin of the patient when the head of the probe is in contact with the skin of the patient.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a controller for synchronizing the mechanical vibrations with the electrical pulses such that a vibration frequency of the mechanical vibrations is frequency-synchronous with a burst frequency of the sequence of bursts of electrical pulses.

12. An apparatus for enhancing absorption of substances provided on a skin region of a patient, comprising:

an array of electrodes provided on a head of a probe;

a syringe that is configured to hold the substance to be provided on the skin region of the patient;

a frame in which the syringe is fixedly mounted;

a pulse generator configured to generate a sequence of bursts of electrical pulses to the array of electrodes that are placed on the skin;

moving means for moving a piston of the syringe so as to output a particular amount of the substance from the syringe and onto the head of the probe at a particular rate;

a plurality of electrodes disposed a particular distance from each other;

a plurality of grooves respectively provided on a one-to-one basis around the plurality of electrodes; and

a plurality of tubes respectively provided on a one-to-one basis for said plurality of electrodes and configured to provide the substance to said plurality of grooves for application to the skin region of the patient,

wherein said plurality of tubes are connected at one end to said syringe and at an opposite end to a respective one of said plurality of electrodes, and

wherein the sequence of bursts of electrical pulses are provided to the skin region by way of the array of electrodes at the same time the outputting means is causing the substance to be output from the syringe, in order to enhance absorption of the substance applied to the skin region when the head of the probe is placed against the skin region of the patient.

13. An apparatus for enhancing absorption of substances provided on a skin region of a patient, comprising:

an array of electrodes provided on a head of a probe;

a syringe that is configured to hold the substance to be provided on the skin region of the patient;

a pulse generator configured to generate a sequence of bursts of electrical pulses to the array of electrodes that are placed on the skin;

a vibrating unit configured to provide mechanical vibrations to the head of the probe; and

a pipe that is configured to provide the substance from the syringe to the head of the probe,

wherein the sequence of bursts of electrical pulses and the mechanical vibrations are provided to the skin region at the same time the substance is provided to the head of the probe in a frequency synchronous manner such that a frequency of application of the bursts of electrical pulses is a same as a frequency of application of the mechanical vibrations, in order to enhance absorption of the substance applied to the skin region when the head of the probe is placed against the skin region of the patient.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the array of electrodes comprises:

a plurality of electrodes disposed a particular distance from each other,

wherein a groove is provided around at least one of the electrodes in order to accept the substance output from the syringe.