Iontophoresis methods
First Claim
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1. A method of anesthetizing tympanic membranes in a patient, the patient having a first and a second ear canal, the method comprising:
- delivering an amount of an anesthetizing drug solution to the first ear canal, wherein the drug solution includes an anesthetic and a buffer, and wherein the drug solution has a pH in the range of about 6.5 to about 7.5;
delivering an additional amount of the anesthetizing drug solution to the second ear canal;
inserting a first electrode of an iontophoresis device in the first ear canal to contact the anesthetizing drug solution;
inserting a second electrode of the iontophoresis device in the second ear canal to contact the anesthetizing drug solution;
attaching a ground electrode of the iontophoresis device to the patient, the first electrode and the ground electrode forming a first circuit, the second electrode and the ground electrode forming a second circuit;
energizing the first circuit to deliver a current to the anesthetizing drug solution in the first ear canal via the first electrode to cause at least some of the drug solution to pass into a first tympanic membrane;
energizing the second circuit to deliver a current to the anesthetizing drug solution in the second ear canal via the second electrode to cause at least some of the drug solution to pass into a second tympanic membrane, independently of energizing the first circuit and while energizing the first circuit;
independently increasing the current delivered to the first and second electrodes at a ramp-up rate of about 0.2 milliamp per second until a maximum delivered current is achieved in each electrode; and
displaying a progress meter for each of a left and right ear indicating delivery of the current to the anesthetizing drug solution for each of the left and right ear.
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Abstract
A method of anesthetizing a tympanic membrane of an ear of a patient using iontophoresis is disclosed. The method involves delivering an anesthetizing drug solution to an ear canal of the patient'"'"'s ear, wherein the drug solution includes an anesthetic and a buffer, and wherein the drug solution has a pH in the range of about 6.5 to about 7.5; and applying an amount of current to the drug solution, wherein the amount of applied current is increased at a rate of less than about 0.5 milliamp per second until a maximum current is achieved.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of anesthetizing tympanic membranes in a patient, the patient having a first and a second ear canal, the method comprising:
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delivering an amount of an anesthetizing drug solution to the first ear canal, wherein the drug solution includes an anesthetic and a buffer, and wherein the drug solution has a pH in the range of about 6.5 to about 7.5; delivering an additional amount of the anesthetizing drug solution to the second ear canal; inserting a first electrode of an iontophoresis device in the first ear canal to contact the anesthetizing drug solution; inserting a second electrode of the iontophoresis device in the second ear canal to contact the anesthetizing drug solution; attaching a ground electrode of the iontophoresis device to the patient, the first electrode and the ground electrode forming a first circuit, the second electrode and the ground electrode forming a second circuit; energizing the first circuit to deliver a current to the anesthetizing drug solution in the first ear canal via the first electrode to cause at least some of the drug solution to pass into a first tympanic membrane; energizing the second circuit to deliver a current to the anesthetizing drug solution in the second ear canal via the second electrode to cause at least some of the drug solution to pass into a second tympanic membrane, independently of energizing the first circuit and while energizing the first circuit; independently increasing the current delivered to the first and second electrodes at a ramp-up rate of about 0.2 milliamp per second until a maximum delivered current is achieved in each electrode; and displaying a progress meter for each of a left and right ear indicating delivery of the current to the anesthetizing drug solution for each of the left and right ear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of anesthetizing tympanic membranes in a patient, the patient having a first and a second ear canal, the method comprising:
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delivering an amount of an anesthetizing drug solution to the first ear canal, wherein the drug solution includes an anesthetic and a buffer, and wherein the drug solution has a pH in the range of about 6.5 to about 7.5; delivering an additional amount of the anesthetizing drug solution to the second ear canal; inserting a first electrode of an iontophoresis device in the first ear canal to contact the anesthetizing drug solution; inserting a second electrode of the iontophoresis device in the second ear canal to contact the anesthetizing drug solution; attaching a ground electrode of the iontophoresis device to the patient, the first electrode and the ground electrode forming a first circuit, the second electrode and the ground electrode forming a second circuit; energizing the first circuit to deliver a current to the anesthetizing drug solution in the first ear canal via the first electrode to cause at least some of the drug solution to pass into a first tympanic membrane; energizing the second circuit to deliver a current to the anesthetizing drug solution in the second ear canal via the first electrode to cause at least some of the drug solution to pass into a second tympanic membrane, independently of energizing the first circuit and while energizing the first circuit; independently increasing the current delivered to the first and second electrodes at a ramp-up rate of about 0.2 milliamp per second until a maximum delivered current is achieved in each electrode; and receiving a signal correlated within pain level and modifying the current delivered to the first and second electrodes in response, the signal being controlled by the patient. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification