Infusion of drugs

• US 8,961,464 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2009
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kirk Promotion Ltd.
• Inventors: Forsell, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/123,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 604/82, 604/150, 604/151, 604/93.01, 604 65- 67, 604/131, 128/DIG.1, 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.13
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/26 Penis implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14284 with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3606 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3673 thermo-electric, e.g. Peltier effect, thermocouples, semi-conductors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/167 Penis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1428 with manual pumping action
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407

Abstract

A penis erection stimulation system comprises one or more infusion needles, the tip ends of which are disposed within and implanted along with at least one first housing adjacent the patient'"'"'s left and right corpora cavernosa. The respective other end or ends of the infusion needles are disposed and implanted along with at least one second housing remote from the first housing. A reservoir and a pump are also implanted inside the patient'"'"'s body to supply the infusion needle with infusion liquid. A drive unit also adapted for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body is arranged for advancing and retracting the infusion needle such that its tip end penetrates the at least one first housing'"'"'s outer wall at least in two different penetration areas either simultaneously or in immediate time succession, thereby injecting drugs into the patient'"'"'s body for stimulating penis erection.

Claims

1. A penis erection stimulation system, comprising at least one flexibly bendable infusion needle with a tip end of each of said at least one infusion needle arranged in at least one first housing for penetrating the first housing'"'"'s outer wall and having the respective other end arranged in at least one second housing, the first and second housings being adapted for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the at least one second housing is provided for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body remote from the at least one first housing and wherein the injection needle is sufficiently long to bridge the distance from the at least one second housing for remote implantation to the at least one first housing and further through the first housing up to the outer wall of the first housing,

at least one reservoir adapted for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body remote from the at least one first housing and in fluid connection with the at least one infusion needle to supply to the infusion needle a substance to be injected into the patient'"'"'s body, at least one pump adapted for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body remote from the at least one first housing and further adapted to advance the substance from the reservoir to the at least one infusion needle, and

at least one drive unit adapted for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body, the at least one drive unit being coupled to the at least one infusion needle and arranged at least for advancing and retracting the at least one infusion needle so that the at least one infusion needle penetrates with the tip end or ends thereof at least one penetration area of said at least one first housing'"'"'s outer wall so as to allow for stimulation of penis erection by injecting the substance through said at least one penetration area via the at least one infusion needle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the infusion needle is guided in a sheath between the first and second housings.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the at least one drive unit is adapted for implantation inside the patient'"'"'s body remote from the at least one first housing.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said part of the at least one drive unit, such as a drive of the at least one drive unit, is contained in the second housing for advancing and retracting the at least one infusion needle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a part of the at least one drive unit, such as a drive of the at least one drive unit, is contained in the first housing for advancing and retracting the at least one infusion needle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive unit comprises a mechanical drive element for transmitting kinetic energy to the at least one infusion needle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the mechanical drive element comprises a screw drive connection for advancing and retracting the infusion needle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the screw drive connection comprises a threading on the infusion needle engaging a fixedly mounted rack.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the mechanical drive element comprises at least one rotating shaft directly or indirectly cooperating with the at least one infusion needle so as to cause movement of the infusion needle upon rotation of the rotating shaft, wherein turning the rotating shaft about its axis of rotation causes the infusion needle to advance and/or retract.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the rotating shaft comprises a screw drive connection, in particular a worm screw.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the screw drive connection comprises a threading on the infusion needle engaging a fixedly mounted rack.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the mechanical drive element comprises at least one wire directly or indirectly cooperating with the infusion needle so as to cause movement of the needle upon actuation of the wire, wherein pulling at least one of the at least one wire causes the infusion needle to advance or retract.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive unit comprises a hydraulic drive for transmitting hydraulic energy to the at least one infusion needle for advancing the tip end of the infusion needle, wherein hydraulic fluid of the hydraulic drive is guided through a conduit connecting the at least one infusion needle with the at least one reservoir,

and wherein the system is adapted to use as the hydraulic fluid infusion liquid to be injected into the patient'"'"'s body.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system is adapted to use as the hydraulic fluid a secondary liquid different from an infusion liquid to be injected into the patient'"'"'s body.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive unit comprises as a drive at least one of;

at least one electric motor or pump and an electromagnetic drive.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising wiring for transmitting electric energy from, at least one of;

a remote location within the patient'"'"'s body and the first housing to the second housing, to the at least one of;

at least one motor, at least one pump and electromagnetic drive.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises at least one first compartment accommodating or adapted to accommodate a first substance and at least one second compartment accommodating or adapted to accommodate a second substance, wherein the implantable system is adapted to cause the two injected substances to be mixed within the body, wherein the substance contained in the at least one second compartment is in at least one of;

powder form and freeze-dried form.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one infusion needle has a tube-like body closed at the tip end and having a laterally arranged delivery exit port.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising an energy source for providing energy to at least one of the pump, the drive unit and the motor, and any other energy consuming part of the system, wherein the system comprises coupling elements for wireless energy transfer from outside the patient'"'"'s body to the energy storage means for charging the energy storage means from outside a patient'"'"'s body, when the energy storage means is implanted in a patient'"'"'s body, wherein at least one feedback sensor is provided and adapted to sense one or more physical parameters of the patient and/or process parameters of the system, further comprising a feedback subsystem adapted to wirelessly send feedback information relating to the energy to be stored in the energy storage means from inside the human body to the outside thereof, wherein the system is adapted to use the feedback information for adjusting the amount of wireless energy transmitted by the energy transmitter and/or adapted to provide feedback on parameters relevant for the treatment, including the one or more physical parameters of the patient and/or the process parameters of the system.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the feedback information relates to an energy balance which is defined as the balance between at least one of;

an amount of wireless energy received inside the human body and an amount of energy consumed by the at least one energy consuming part, and a rate of wireless energy received inside the human body and a rate of energy consumed by the at least one energy consuming part.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising a cooling device for preserving the substance by keeping the substance within at least one compartment of the reservoir at a temperature below 37°

C.

22. The system of claim 1, comprising an internal control unit and a data transfer port for data transfer between an external data processing device and the internal control unit, wherein the data transfer port is a wireless data transfer port for the data transfer, wherein the internal control unit is programmable.

23. The system of claim 1, comprising an external control unit comprising a wireless remote control to control from outside the patient'"'"'s body, wherein the external control unit is adapted for at least one of;

manual operation by the patient for setting into operation the internal control unit and to program the internal control unit.

24. The system of claim 1, comprising a reservoir with at least one compartment, wherein the reservoir further comprises a gas chamber and an infusion liquid chamber, said chambers being separated by a flexible membrane.

25. The system of claim 1, comprising a reservoir with at least one compartment, wherein the reservoir further comprises an injection port for refilling the reservoir with infusion liquid.

26. The system of claim 1, comprising a reservoir with at least one compartment, wherein the reservoir is adapted to cause a negative pressure in at least one compartment of the reservoir, when drawing infusion liquid from at least one compartment of the reservoir.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein the drive unit is configured to laterally displace the tip end of at least one of said at least one infusion needle in at least two different lateral directions, adapted to displace the infusion needle in at least;

a first lateral direction and back, and a second lateral direction and back, wherein the second direction is different from the first direction, and wherein the drive unit further comprises;

a single, multifunctional drive unit or

a drive unit including a plurality of different drive units suitably arranged to work in a coordinated fashion, and

wherein the drive unit is adapted to displace the infusion needle in the at least two different lateral directions.