Lumen-traveling device

• US 8,000,784 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Victoria Y. H., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Hillis, W. Daniel, Ferren, Bran, Jung, Edward K. Y., Hyde, Roderick A., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram; Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US11/645,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,699 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02007 Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/02 Prostheses implantable into the body closure means for urethra or rectum or for artificial body openings therefor A61F2/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0116 self-propelled, e.g. autonomous robots A61M25/0122 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body
• 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

Lumen-traveling devices and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, as well as additional components such as a sensor, an active portion, and/or control circuitry. In some embodiments, a sensor may be used to detect a local condition, and an action may be performed within the body lumen. Actions that may be performed include, but are not limited to, transmitting information, releasing a material within the lumen, performing a surgical step, or collecting a sample, among others.

Claims

1. A method implemented with a lumen-traveling device, comprising:

moving the lumen-traveling device through a body lumen using a propelling mechanism and a steering mechanism on the lumen-traveling device, based at least in part upon a pre-programmed motion pattern;

at least intermittently permitting flow of fluid through the body lumen and past a fluid-contacting portion of the lumen-traveling device;

detecting a condition of interest with a sensor on the lumen-traveling device;

producing a response initiation signal with response initiation circuitry located at least in part on the lumen-traveling device at least partially in response to detection of the condition of interest, wherein the response initiation signal is configured for controlling performance of an action by an active portion of the lumen-traveling device based at least in part on a pre-programmed pattern; and

performing the action with the active portion of the lumen-traveling device in response to the response initiation signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a condition of interest includes detecting at least one of a fluid flow, a fluid viscosity, a fluid shear, a concentration of a chemical compound or species, an optical parameter, an acoustic parameter, a biomolecule, an electrical parameter, a magnetic parameter, a pressure in the body lumen, a temperature, a pH, an anatomic feature, a location, a man-made structure, and a time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a condition of interest includes detecting a man-made structure, the method further including at least one of delivering a material or structure to the man-made structure, receiving a material or structure from the man-made structure, and collecting the man-made structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action with the active portion includes at least one of transmitting a signal to a remote location, releasing a material, collecting a material, producing heating, producing cooling, securing the lumen-traveling device into position within the body lumen, emitting electromagnetic radiation, emitting acoustic energy, emitting ultrasonic acoustic energy, applying pressure to the body lumen, modulating the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body lumen, at least partly removing specific components from at least a portion of a fluid within the body lumen, activating at least one catalyst, generating an electric field, generating a magnetic field, scraping at least a portion of the body lumen, cutting at least a portion of the body lumen.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action with the active portion includes releasing a material including at least one of an adhesive, a filler, a hydrogel, an antibiotic, a pharmaceutical compound, a nutrient, a hormone, a growth factor, a medication, a therapeutic compound, an enzyme, a protein, a genetic material, a cell, a fraction of a cell, a vaccine, a vitamin, a neurotransmitter, a neurotropic agent, a neuroactive material, a cytokine, a cell-signaling material, a pro-apoptotic agent, an anti-apoptotic agent, an immunological mediator, an anti-inflammatory agent, a salt, an ion, an antioxidant, an imaging agent, a labeling agent, a diagnostic compound, a nanomaterial, an inhibitor, and a blocker.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action with the active portion includes collecting a material from the body lumen by at least one of collecting a sample from a fluid within the body lumen, collecting a sample from a wall region of the body lumen, and collecting a sample from beyond the wall region of the body lumen.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action with the active portion includes emitting electromagnetic radiation including at least one of ultraviolet electromagnetic radiation, infrared electromagnetic radiation, optical electromagnetic radiation, microwave electromagnetic radiation, and millimeter wave electromagnetic radiation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action with the active portion includes modulating the flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body lumen by at least one of blocking a flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body lumen, modifying a direction of flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body lumen, and modifying an amount of turbulent flow.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action with the active portion includes at least one of releasing a man-made structure from the lumen-traveling device, delivering a material or structure to a receiving portion of a man-made device, and receiving a material or structure from a delivery portion of a man-made device.

10. The method of claim 1, including transmitting at least one of power and a signal to the lumen-traveling device.

11. The method of claim 1, including receiving at least one of a signal and power from a remote source with the lumen-traveling device.

12. Logic for controlling a lumen-traveling device, comprising:

a sensing module configured to process an input from a sensor on the lumen-traveling device to generate a sense signal indicating detection of a condition of interest in a body lumen of an organism;

a response initiation module configured to receive the sense signal from the sensing module and based at least in part upon the sense signal to generate a response initiation signal configured for causing an action to be performed in the body lumen by an active portion of the lumen-traveling device based at least in part upon a pre-programmed pattern; and

a motion control module configured to control a propelling mechanism and a steering mechanism on the lumen-traveling device based at least in part upon a pre-programmed motion pattern to control direction or rate of movement of the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen.

13. The logic of claim 12, wherein the motion control module is capable of receiving the sense signal from the sensing module and the propelling mechanism and the steering mechanism on the lumen-traveling device based at least in part upon the sense signal.

14. The logic of claim 12, implemented in at least one of digital circuitry, analog circuitry, and software.

15. The logic of claim 12, wherein the motion control module is capable of controlling the propelling mechanism and the steering mechanism on the lumen-traveling device based at least in part upon at least one of a motion control signal from a remote control system and a pre-programmed motion pattern.

16. The logic of claim 12, wherein the sensing module is capable of generating a sense signal indicating the presence or absence of the condition of interest.

17. The logic of claim 12, wherein the sensing module is capable of generating a sense signal indicating a parameter value of the condition of interest, and wherein the response initiation module is capable of generating a response initiation signal configured for at least one of initiating the performance of the action in the body lumen by the active portion of the lumen-traveling device as a function of the parameter value of the condition of interest and controlling the action by the active portion of the lumen-traveling device for a period of time as a function of the parameter value of the condition of interest.

18. A method of using a lumen-traveling device, comprising:

moving a self-propelling lumen-traveling device through a body lumen with a propelling mechanism and a steering mechanism on the lumen-traveling device based at least in part upon a pre-programmed motion pattern;

at least intermittently permitting flow of fluid through the body lumen and past a fluid-contacting portion of the lumen-traveling device;

detecting a treatment target based at least in part upon detection of a condition of interest in the body lumen with a sensor on the lumen-traveling device;

producing a response initiation signal at least in part in response to detection of the condition of interest with response initiation circuitry located at least in part on the lumen-traveling device; and

delivering a treatment determined at least in part by a treatment pattern stored in the lumen-traveling device to the treatment target with an active portion of the lumen-traveling device in response to the response initiation signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the lumen-traveling device is a secondary lumen-traveling device, and wherein the method includes emplacing the secondary lumen-traveling device in the body lumen by releasing the secondary lumen-traveling device from a primary lumen-traveling device.

20. The method of claim 18, including moving the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen at least partially under control of a remote control system.

21. The method of claim 18, including controlling movement of the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen with a steering control portion on the lumen-traveling device.

22. The method of claim 21, including controlling movement of the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen based at least in part upon at least one of a detected condition of interest in the body lumen, the use of logic circuitry included in the lumen-traveling device, and a movement pattern stored in the lumen-traveling device.

23. The method of claim 21, including controlling movement of the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen based at least in part on a movement pattern stored in the lumen-traveling device.

24. The method of claim 18, including at least one of stopping movement of the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen upon detection of the treatment target and delivering the treatment to the treatment target with the active portion of the lumen-traveling device while the lumen-traveling device is substantially immobile in the body lumen and resuming movement of the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen following delivery of the treatment to the treatment target with the active portion of the lumen-traveling device.

25. The method of claim 18, including delivering the treatment to the treatment target with an active portion of the lumen-traveling device, wherein the treatment is determined based at least in part upon at least one sensed parameter of the treatment target.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the treatment target includes at least one of at least a portion of a wall of the body lumen and at least a portion of the contents of the body lumen.

27. The method of claim 18, including at least one of emplacing the lumen-traveling device in the body lumen by inserting a catheter carrying the lumen-traveling device into the body lumen and releasing the lumen-traveling device from the catheter, and retrieving the lumen-traveling device from the body lumen by inserting a catheter into the body lumen and withdrawing the catheter from the body lumen carrying the lumen-traveling device.

28. The method of claim 18, including:

moving the lumen-traveling device through the body lumen at least partially under control of a remote control system; and

at least one of transmitting a motion control signal to the lumen-traveling device with the remote control system and receiving a motion control signal from a remote control system with a signal receiver in the lumen-traveling device.

29. The method of claim 18, including transmitting a signal from the lumen-traveling device to a remote location, the signal indicative of at least one of detection of a condition of interest and performance of an action by the lumen-traveling device.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting a condition of interest includes detecting an embolism, a plaque, a thrombus, an aneurysm, a stenosis, a puncture, a perforation, a rupture, a dissection, a tear, or a branching point in the body lumen, the branching point including at least two branches of the body lumen.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting a condition of interest includes detecting a branching point in the body lumen, the branching point including at least two branches of the body lumen;

and wherein moving the self-propelling lumen-traveling device through the body lumen includes steering the lumen-traveling device into a selected one of the at least two branches of the body lumen.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein detecting a condition of interest includes detecting a branching point in the body lumen, the branching point including at least two branches of the body lumen.

33. The method of claim 18, including transmitting a signal from the lumen-traveling device to a remote location, the signal indicative of performance of an action by the lumen-traveling device.