Medical or veterinary digestive tract utilization systems and methods

• US 8,109,920 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• 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: Boyden, Edward S., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Langer, Robert, Leuthardt, Eric C., Rivet, Dennis J., Smith, Michael A., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Jackie
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, EMILY LOUISE
• Application Number:
  US12/001,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 604/270, 604/275, 604/514, 604/516, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/77, 604/79, 604/910
• US Class Current: 604/890.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1032 Trachea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1042 Alimentary tract A61M2210/0618 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for implementing or deploying medical or veterinary utility modules comprising a first module operable in a digestive or respiratory tract to engage a second module, optionally by a magnetic field. Alternatively or additionally, systems may be operable to remain in situ and also operable to permit a therapeutic material dispensation. In some contexts, for example, systems or methods may dispense a therapeutic material via a subject'"'"'s throat or elsewhere in the digestive or respiratory tract.

Claims

1. A medical or veterinary system comprising:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day; and

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to releasably support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in a mouth region directly or indirectly for more than a day.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day at least partially using at least one other module.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day at least partially using at least some bioadhesive.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day at least partially using one or more magnetic fields.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one magnetically manipulable module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module associatable with at least one other module and including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module configured to exit via the digestive tract per vias naturales including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain two or more therapeutic materials and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain more than one dosage of at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one module including at least one portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day comprises:

at least one module including at least one pressurizable portion operable to contain at least one therapeutic material and at least one other portion operable to support the at least one pressurizable portion in an oral cavity directly or indirectly for more than a day.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity comprises:

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to or through a throat.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity comprises:

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to or through an esophagus.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity comprises:

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to or through a gastric compartment.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity comprises:

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to or through an intestine.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity comprises:

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one second module.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more artificial conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity comprises:

one or more artificial fixed length conduits operable to guide the at least one therapeutic material and to extend from the at least one module to at least one digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more dispensers.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more propellants.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more transmitters.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one receiver.

23. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors.

24. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more control circuitries operable to control release of the at least one therapeutic material.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more control circuitries operable to control release of the at least one therapeutic material in response to one or more parameter values determined using one or more sensors.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more control circuitries operable to control release of the at least one therapeutic material in response to one or more program instructions.

27. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more control circuitries operable to control disengagement of the at least one module.

28. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one second module operable to associate with the at least one first module.

29. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one second module operable to associate with the one or more artificial conduits.