Implantatable component having an accessible lumen and a drug release capsule for introduction into same

• US 9,089,450 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2008
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Original Assignee: Cochlear Limited
• Inventors: Gibson, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIATESKI, ERIN M
• Application Number:
  US12/248,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,483 Days
• Field of Search: 607/3, 607 55- 57, 607/120, 607136-137
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00; Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0662 Ears
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0668 Middle ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0675 Eustachian tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/606 acting directly on the eardrum, the ossicles or the skull, e.g. mastoid, tooth, maxillary or mandibular bone, or mechanically stimulating the cochlea, e.g. at the oval window

Abstract

A method for delivering drugs from an implantable medical device to an implantee, comprising implanting the medical device having a receptacle configured to receive a drug release capsule, the drug release capsule having at least one drug disposed thereon, placing the drug release capsule in the receptacle subsequent to the implanting, and permitting the release of the at least one drug from the drug release capsule to the recipient.

Claims

1. An implantable component of a cochlear implant comprising:

a carrier member comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed along said carrier member and, said carrier member having an accessible lumen and one or more drug release ports fluidically coupling the lumen with an exterior environment of the implanted component; and

a drug-delivery capsule that carries at least one drug and is configured to release the at least one drug,

wherein the capsule and lumen are correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be securely retained within the lumen and the capsule may be introduced into the lumen so that when the drug-delivery capsule releases the at least one drug, the at least one drug may travel through the lumen and exit the implantable component via at least one of the one or more drug release ports.

2. The implantable component of claim 1, wherein the capsule and lumen are further correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be advanced to a desired position in the lumen.

3. The implantable component of claim 1, wherein said one or more drug release ports are dimensioned and arranged such that at least one of rate and quantity of the one or more drugs released by said capsule is controlled thereby.

4. The implantable component of claim 3, wherein a first group of said one or more drug release ports has a first dimension that is not equal to a second dimension of a second group of said one or more drug release ports.

5. The implantable component of claim 3, wherein said lumen is configured to secure the drug-delivery capsule in a first location in the lumen, and wherein said one or more drug release ports disposed closer to the first location are smaller than said one or more drug release ports disposed further from the first location.

6. The implantable component of claim 2, further comprising one or more tabs coupled to a wall of the lumen, wherein the one or more tabs retains the capsule at a desired position in the lumen.

7. The implantable component of claim 6, wherein the one or more tabs are malleable such that the capsule may travel past the one or more tabs when a force is applied to the capsule.

8. The implantable component of claim 1, wherein two or more drug release ports are disposed circumferentially around said lumen.

9. A drug delivery system comprising:

an implanted component having an accessible lumen and one or more drug release ports fluidically coupling the lumen with an exterior environment of the implanted component, wherein a first group of said one or more drug release ports has a first dimension, and wherein a second group of said one or more drug release ports has a second dimension not equal to the first dimension; and

a drug-delivery capsule that carries at least one drug and may be introduced into the lumen so that when the drug-delivery capsule releases the at least one drug, the at least one drug may travel through the lumen and exit the implantable component via at least one of the one or more drug release ports,

wherein said one or more drug release ports are configured such that at least one of rate and quantity of the one or more drugs released by said capsule is controlled thereby, and

wherein the capsule and lumen are further correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be securely retained within the lumen.

10. The drug delivery system of claim 9, wherein the capsule and lumen are further correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be advanced to a desired position in the lumen.

11. The drug delivery system of claim 9, wherein said drug delivery system is an implantable hearing prosthesis.

12. The drug delivery system of claim 11, wherein said implantable hearing prosthesis is a cochlear implant.

13. The drug delivery system of claim 9, wherein said implantable component is a cochlear implant carrier member comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed along said carrier member.

14. The drug delivery system of claim 9, wherein said one or more drug release ports are disposed circumferentially around said lumen.

15. The implantable component of claim 10, further comprising one or more tabs coupled to a wall of the lumen, wherein the one or more tabs retains the capsule at a desired position in the lumen.

16. The implantable component of claim 15, wherein the one or more tabs are malleable such that the capsule may travel past the one or more tabs when a force is applied to the capsule.

17. The implantable component of claim 9, wherein two or more drug release ports are disposed circumferentially around said lumen.

18. A drug delivery system comprising:

an implanted component having an accessible lumen and one or more drug release ports fluidically coupling the lumen with an exterior environment of the implanted component; and

a drug-delivery capsule that carries at least one drug and is configured to release the at least one drug,

wherein the capsule and lumen are correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be introduced into the lumen so that when the drug-delivery capsule releases the at least one drug, the at least one drug may travel through the lumen and exit the implantable component via at least one of the one or more drug release ports,

wherein said one or more drug release ports are configured such that at least one of rate and quantity of the one or more drugs released by said capsule is controlled thereby, and

wherein said lumen is configured to secure the drug-delivery capsule in a first location in the lumen, and wherein at least one of said one or more drug release ports disposed closer to the first location is smaller than at least one of said one or more drug release ports disposed further from the first location.

19. The drug delivery system of claim 18, wherein the capsule and lumen are further correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be advanced to a desired position in the lumen.

20. The drug delivery system of claim 18, wherein the capsule and lumen are further correspondingly configured such that the capsule may be securely retained within the lumen.

21. The drug delivery system of claim 18, wherein said drug delivery system is an implantable hearing prosthesis.

22. The drug delivery system of claim 21, wherein said implantable hearing prosthesis is a cochlear implant.

23. The drug delivery system of claim 18, wherein said implantable component is a cochlear implant carrier member comprising a plurality of electrodes disposed along said carrier member.

24. The drug delivery system of claim 18, wherein said one or more drug release ports are disposed circumferentially around said lumen.

25. The implantable component of claim 19, further comprising one or more tabs coupled to a wall of the lumen, wherein the one or more tabs retains the capsule at a desired position in the lumen.

26. The implantable component of claim 25, wherein the one or more tabs are malleable such that the capsule may travel past the one or more tabs when a force is applied to the capsule.