Iontophoretic intra-tympanic drug delivery system
First Claim
1. An iontophoretic system for delivering medically-active ions in solution to a middle ear of a patient, comprising:
- a needle, wherein the needle is configured to enable one or both of delivering a fluid to and removing fluid from a middle ear of a patient, the needle comprising;
a sharpened end configured to pierce a tympanic membrane and for insertion through the tympanic membrane of the ear;
wherein the sharpened end of the needle includes multiple sharpened knife-like edges radiating outward from a common central sharpened point, the edges presented outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the needle and configured when inserted through the tympanic membrane to form multiple membrane flaps;
an opposite end,at least one longitudinal bore configured to extend between the opposite end and the sharpened end, anda fluid outlet proximate to the sharpened end and in fluid communication with the at least one longitudinal bore;
a flexible lumen in fluid communication with the at least one longitudinal bore and having a first end configured to operatively couple with the opposite end of the needle and having a second end configured to operatively couple with a fluid source; and
iontophoretic means configured with at least an anode and a cathode to deliver medically-active ions through the needle to the middle ear.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method, and apparatus for iontophoretically delivering medically-active ions beyond the tympanic membrane, into a middle ear portion of a patient, and to an area or structure of the middle or inner ear that is targeted for treatment. The system and apparatus can include a needle configured partially for insertion through a tympanic membrane and having a longitudinal bore, a flexible lumen coupled with the needle, and typically a fluid source coupled with the lumen such that a fluid in the fluid source can be delivered from the fluid source, through the lumen and the needle, and into the middle ear. A positioning tab can be coupled with the needle to assist determining a proper insertion extent of the needle through the membrane. The system and method can also include a power source having oppositely charged electrodes, electrically-conductive materials coupled with an electrode and disposed within the fluid source, lumen, and/or needle, and electrically-conductive materials coupled with an oppositely-charged electrode and further coupled with the patient'"'"'s skin. Medically-active ions are iontophoretically delivered by the apparatus, when the fluid is delivered to a patients middle ear and an electrical charge is imparted to the ions by the apparatus.
46 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An iontophoretic system for delivering medically-active ions in solution to a middle ear of a patient, comprising:
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a needle, wherein the needle is configured to enable one or both of delivering a fluid to and removing fluid from a middle ear of a patient, the needle comprising; a sharpened end configured to pierce a tympanic membrane and for insertion through the tympanic membrane of the ear;
wherein the sharpened end of the needle includes multiple sharpened knife-like edges radiating outward from a common central sharpened point, the edges presented outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the needle and configured when inserted through the tympanic membrane to form multiple membrane flaps;an opposite end, at least one longitudinal bore configured to extend between the opposite end and the sharpened end, and a fluid outlet proximate to the sharpened end and in fluid communication with the at least one longitudinal bore; a flexible lumen in fluid communication with the at least one longitudinal bore and having a first end configured to operatively couple with the opposite end of the needle and having a second end configured to operatively couple with a fluid source; and iontophoretic means configured with at least an anode and a cathode to deliver medically-active ions through the needle to the middle ear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An iontophoretic method for delivering medically-active ions in solution to a middle ear of a patient, comprising:
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imparting a positive electrical charge to medically-active ions of a fluid by operatively coupling an anode of a power source with the fluid; imparting a negative electrical charge to a round window membrane of a middle ear of a patient by operatively coupling a cathode of the power source to the patient; inserting a portion of a needle through a tympanic membrane of the patient so that a sharpened end of the needle and a fluid outlet proximate to the sharpened end are presented within the middle ear;
wherein the sharpened end of the needle includes multiple sharpened knife-like edges radiating outward from a common central sharpened point, the edges presented outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the needle and configured when inserted through the tympanic membrane to form multiple membrane flaps;providing the fluid to the middle ear through the fluid outlet via a longitudinal bore of the needle in fluid communication with the fluid outlet; and iontophoretically delivering the medically-active ions to one or both of the round window membrane and a portion of an inner ear separated from the middle ear by the round window membrane. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An iontophoretic intra-tympanic drug delivery apparatus, comprising:
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a fluid delivery portion comprising, a needle having a sharpened end, an opposite end, a longitudinal bore extending from the sharpened end to the opposite end, and a fluid outlet from the longitudinal bore disposed proximate the sharpened end, wherein the sharpened end of the needle includes multiple sharpened knife-like edges radiating outward from a common central sharpened point, the edges presented outwardly from a longitudinal axis of the needle and configured when inserted through the tympanic membrane to form multiple membrane flaps; a positioning tab coupled with an exterior portion of the needle between the sharpened end and the opposite end and configured to contact a surface of a tympanic membrane of a patient when the sharpened end of the needle is inserted therethrough, and a flexible lumen operatively coupled with the opposite end and in fluid communication with the longitudinal bore; and an iontophoretic portion, comprising, one or more power sources, a first current-carrying means operatively coupled with a first electrode of the one or more power sources, and a first electrically-conductive material operatively coupled with the first current-carrying means;
the first electrically-conductive material being configured during use to be located within, and to be in electrically-conductive contact with a fluid within, one or more selected from the group consisting of the flexible lumen, the longitudinal bore, or a fluid reservoir operatively coupled with and in fluid communication with the flexible lumen. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification