Medical or veterinary digestive tract utilization systems and methods

• US 8,333,754 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• 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): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, JR, BRADLEY G
• Application Number:
  US12/002,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604275-279, 604/19, 604/21, 604/31, 604/503, 604/510, 604/514, 604/93.01, 604/97.03, 604/65, 604/164.05, 604/264, 604/528, 604/516, 604/77, 604/79, 604/270, 604/910
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• 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 5/42 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the gastrointestinal, the endocrine or the exocrine systems A61B1/00, A61B5/4857, A61B5/486, A61B5/4866, A61B5/4869 take precedence
• 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: A61B 7/008 Detecting noise of gastric tract, e.g. caused by voiding
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0097 Micromachined devices; Microelectromechanical systems [MEMS]; Devices obtained by lithographic treatment of silicon; Devices comprising chips intradermal microneedle arrays A61K9/0021; MEMS in general B81B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

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:

a first module comprising;

at least one portion operable in a digestive or respiratory tract to engage a second module at least magnetically, the second module small enough to pass through the digestive or respiratory tract per vias naturales; 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;

one or more artificial conduits operable to guide a therapeutic material and to extend from the first module to a digestive site or respiratory site other than the oral cavity; and

one or more magnetic-flux-generating elements operable to diminish a disengagement force between the first module and the second module by removing at least 0.1% of a magnetic flux passing from the first module into the second module.

2. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module comprises:

more than one dose of the therapeutic material.

3. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

a temperature sensor.

4. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

a material-concentration-indicative sensor.

5. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

a sensor.

6. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

an antenna.

7. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

an antihyperglycemic medication.

8. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

a polymer-containing binding agent.

9. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

an antimicrobial agent.

10. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the one or more magnetic-flux-generating elements operable to diminish the disengagement force between the first module and the second module comprise:

an electrically conductive coil.

11. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second module, operable to remain in an esophagus, gastric compartment, or intestine of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a day.

12. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second module, including at least a fluid-containing reservoir at a higher-than-ambient pressure.

13. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second module, operable to remain at least partly within a throat of the digestive or respiratory tract for more than a day.

14. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second module, operable to engage the first module by indirect contact in situ.

15. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second module, comprising at least a wearable and removable item.

16. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second module, including at least an adhesive operable for coupling with a mucous membrane.

17. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for activating one or more dispensers selectively.

18. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote module operable for receiving status-indicative data from the first module.

19. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

a ferromagnetic material.

20. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the first module further comprises:

a magnetic-flux-guiding element;

a sensor;

an antenna;

an antihyperglycemic medication including at least a polymer-containing binding agent; and

one or more actuators operable for releasing at least the antihyperglycemic medication into a material flow path at least about one millimeter long.

21. The medical or veterinary system of claim 20, further comprising:

circuitry for selectively activating at least one of the one or more actuators operable for releasing at least the antihyperglycemic medication into the material flow path extending out of a gastric compartment;

a remote module operable for receiving dispensation-status-indicative data from the first module; and

another module operable in the digestive or respiratory tract to support the second module indirectly for more than a day in the digestive or respiratory tract.

22. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for selectively activating one or more actuators operable for releasing at least an antihyperglycemic medication into a material flow path extending out of a gastric compartment;

a remote module operable for receiving dispensation-status-indicative data from the first module; and

another module operable in the digestive or respiratory tract to support the second module for more than a day in the digestive or respiratory tract.

23. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 The medical or veterinary system of claim 1 in which the second module comprises:

at least a fluid-containing reservoir; and

a material flow path at least about one centimeter long operable to guide a material more than one centimeter in a flow from the fluid-containing reservoir.