Drug-delivery pumps and methods of manufacture

• US 9,162,024 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MiniPumps, LLC
• Original Assignee: MiniPumps, LLC
• Inventors: Pang, Changlin, Jiang, Fukang, Shih, Jason, Caffey, Sean, Humayun, Mark, Tai, Yu-Chong, Brennan, Jeffrey, Peck, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhang, Jenna
• Application Number:
  US12/463,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20090306594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,356 Days
• Field of Search: 6048901-8921, 604131-133, 604140-145
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00781 Apparatus for modifying intraocular pressure, e.g. for glaucoma treatment drainage implants in general A61M27/002
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14204 with gas-producing electrochemical cell
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14264 with means for compensating influence from the environment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0244 Micromachined materials, e.g. made from silicon wafers, microelectromechanical systems [MEMS] or comprising nanotechnology
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0612 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1408 in parallel, e.g. manifolds, sequencing valves access sites A61M39/02; tube connectors A61M39/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14593 the diaphragm being actuated by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 1/227 by etching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1092 All laminae planar and face to face
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1093 with covering of discrete laminae with additional lamina

Abstract

Embodiments of an implantable electrolytic pump include a drug reservoir, a cannula fluidly coupled to the reservoir, a pumping mechanism for forcing liquid from the reservoir through the cannula, control circuitry for operating the pumping mechanism, and a power source comprising primary and auxiliary batteries in a stacked configuration, only the main battery being operatively coupled to the control circuitry during normal operation, the control circuitry operatively coupling the back-up battery upon detection of an electrical fault. The pump may further include a hermetic enclosure containing the control circuitry and the power source.

Claims

1. An implantable pump comprising:

a housing having an exterior surface for contact with a patient'"'"'s body;

a drug reservoir comprising at least one expandable diaphragm;

a cannula configured for fluidly coupling the drug reservoir to a treatment site in the patient and dispensing drug liquid from the drug reservoir to the treatment site;

a pumping mechanism for forcing the drug liquid from the drug reservoir through the cannula, the pumping mechanism comprising electrolysis electrodes for expanding the expandable diaphragm so that the drug liquid is forced from the drug reservoir into the cannula;

located above the drug reservoir and forming a chamber thereabove, a permeable material, forming part of the housing, adapted to allow a fluid from the patient'"'"'s body to flow therethrough into the chamber at a sufficient rate to substantially balance a vacuum pressure in the drug reservoir;

control circuitry for operating the pumping mechanism;

a power source for powering the control circuitry; and

a hermetic enclosure containing the control circuitry and the power source;

wherein the vacuum pressure in the drug reservoir is generated by variations in a volume of the drug liquid therein as the volume of the drug liquid within the drug reservoir is reduced and the expandable diaphragm returns to its original position prior to expansion.

2. The pump of claim 1, wherein at least one of the drug reservoir, the cannula, the pumping mechanism, or the hermetic enclosure a biocompatible material.

3. The pump of claim 2, wherein the biocompatible material comprises or consists essentially of parylene.

4. The pump of claim 1, wherein activation of the electrolysis electrodes causes generation of a gas to expand the expandable diaphragm.

5. The pump of claim 1, wherein the permeable material comprises at least one of an osmotic diaphragm or a perforated shell.