Lumen-traveling delivery device

• US 20070225634A1
• Filed: 01/09/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Jung, Edward, Leuthardt, Eric, Hyde, Roderick, Sweeney, Elizabeth, Tegreene, Clarence, Myhrvold, Nathan, Wood, Lowell, Ishikawa, Muriel, Hillis, W., Wood, Victoria
• Granted Patent: US 7,998,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00029 externally powered, e.g. wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00156 using self propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/041 Capsule endoscopes for imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12036 partial occlusion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12113 within an aneurysm
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12131 characterised by the type of occluding device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12136 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/063 Devices specially adapted for delivering implantable medical measuring apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/03 Detecting, measuring or recording fluid pressure within the body other than blood pressure, e.g. cerebral pressure; Measuring pressure in body tissues or organs A61B5/205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• 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 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 : Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 : Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• 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: A61N 1/056 : Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 : Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 : Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals

Abstract

Lumen-traveling devices capable of controlled material release and associated methods and systems are described. Lumen-traveling devices capable of traveling within a body lumen may include a propelling mechanism to produce movement of the lumen-traveling device within the lumen, as well as additional components such as a sensor, a material release portion, and/or control circuitry. In some embodiments, a sensor may be used to detect a local condition, and a material may be released from the device in response.

Claims

1. A lumen-traveling delivery device comprising:

a propelling mechanism;

a material release portion; and

control circuitry located at least in part on the delivery device, the control circuitry capable of controlling the operation of the propelling mechanism to move the delivery device through the body lumen to a treatment target and controlling the material release portion to release a deliverable material.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is capable of controlling the material release portion to release the deliverable material when the delivery device is in the vicinity of the treatment target.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the delivery device includes a sensor capable of generating a sense signal upon detection of a condition of interest, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the sense signal and control at least one of the operation of the propelling mechanism and the material release portion based upon receipt of the sense signal.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the sensor is capable of generating a sense signal upon detection of a local condition of interest.

17. The device of claim 1, including at least a first lumen-wall-engaging structure and a second lumen-wall-engaging structure, wherein the propelling mechanism produces lengthening and shortening of the delivery device between the first lumen-wall-engaging structure and the second lumen-wall-engaging structure in coordination with alternate engagement and disengagement of the first lumen-wall-engaging structure and the second lumen-wall-engaging structure.

21. The device of claim 1, including a steering mechanism capable of modifying the movement of the delivery device.

23. The device of claim 1, including an expanding or extending portion configured to at least temporarily seal with a wall of the body lumen to block a flow of fluid through at least a portion of the body lumen.

35. The lumen-traveling delivery device of claim 1, including an exterior region having at least a perimeter configured to seal against a lumen wall to form a chamber between the lumen wall and the exterior portion, and including a material release portion configured to release a material into the chamber.

83. The device of claim 1, wherein the delivery device includes a structural element sized to fit within a body lumen in the vicinity of a treatment target, the structural element including at least one of a substantially tubular structure, multiple openings in fluid communication with the body lumen, a capsule-like structure, a self-expanding material, a resilient material, a mesh-like material, a biocompatible material, or a slotted structure.

84. The device of claim 1, wherein the propelling mechanism includes at least one of a peristaltic propelling mechanism, two or more alternately activated limbs, or at least one rotating lumen-wall-engaging structure.

85. The device of claim 1, wherein the material release portion includes at least one of a reservoir containing the deliverable material and including a rupturable barrier, a reservoir containing the deliverable material and including a barrier having a controllable permeability, or the deliverable material in a carrier material.

86. The device of claim 23, including at least one of a capture portion capable of capturing material released from the material release portion or a flow-modulating element configured to at least temporarily alter the flow of fluid within the body lumen.

87. The device of claim 1, including at least one of a capture portion capable of capturing material released from the material release portion or a permeability enhancer for enhancing the permeability of the wall of the lumen in the vicinity of the treatment target.

88. The device of claim 1, including a permeability enhancer for enhancing the permeability of the wall of the lumen in the vicinity of the treatment target, wherein the permeability enhancer includes at least one of a mechanical permeability enhancer, a chemical permeability enhancer, an electrical permeability enhancer, an acoustic permeability enhancer, a magnetic permeability enhancer, or a permeability enhancer capable of enhancing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in the vicinity of the treatment target.

5-16. -16. (canceled)

18-20. -20. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

24-34. -34. (canceled)

36-37. -37. (canceled)

38. A lumen-traveling delivery device comprising:

a structural element sized to fit within a body lumen in the vicinity of a treatment target;

at least two wall-engaging structures operable to alternately engage and disengage a wall of the body lumen;

a propelling mechanism capable of producing relative extension and retraction of the at least two wall-engaging structures with respect to each other in combination with alternate engagement and disengagement of the body lumen wall to produce movement of the lumen-traveling delivery device with respect to the body lumen wall; and

a material release portion configured to release a deliverable material.

39. The lumen-traveling delivery device of claim 38, wherein the material release portion is configured to release a deliverable material when the lumen-traveling delivery device is located in the vicinity of the treatment target.

89. The lumen-traveling delivery device of claim 38, including at least one of a sensor for detecting a condition of interest indicative of the proximity of the lumen-traveling delivery device to the treatment target, a blocking portion capable of expanding or extending to seal against the wall of the body lumen at least temporarily to at least partially block the flow of fluid through the body lumen, a permeability enhancer for enhancing the permeability of the wall of the lumen in the vicinity of the treatment target, or a flow-modulating element configured to at least temporarily alter the flow of fluid within the body lumen.

90. The lumen-traveling delivery device of claim 38, including a permeability enhancer for enhancing the permeability of the wall of the lumen in the vicinity of the treatment target, the permeability enhancer including at least one of a mechanical permeability enhancer, a chemical permeability enhancer, an electrical permeability enhancer, an acoustic permeability enhancer, a magnetic permeability enhancer, or a permeability enhancer capable of enhancing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in the vicinity of the treatment target.

40-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A method of delivering a material to a subject, comprising:

moving a self-propelling delivery device through a body lumen toward a target site;

detecting the arrival of the delivery device in the vicinity of a target site;

stopping movement of the delivery device;

at least partially blocking the flow of fluid through the body lumen by extending or expanding a portion of the delivery device; and

releasing a material into the body lumen from a portion of the delivery device.

51. The method of claim 50, including at least partially blocking the flow of fluid through the body lumen by extending or expanding a downstream portion of the delivery device and releasing a material into the body lumen from an upstream portion of the delivery device, wherein the body lumen contains fluid having a primary flow direction at the target site, and wherein the downstream portion and the upstream portion of the delivery device are defined relative to the primary flow direction of fluid flow through the body lumen at the target site.

62. The method of claim 50, including moving the delivery device through the body lumen toward the target site under the control of a control system located on board the delivery device.

91. The method of claim 51, including at least one of breaking down at least a portion of the material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device, converting at least a portion of the material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device from an active form to a substantially inactive form, or capturing at least a portion of the material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device with a capture portion of the delivery device.

92. The method of claim 51, capturing at least a portion of the material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device with a capture portion of the delivery device and performing at least one of at least one of breaking down at least a portion of the captured material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device with the capture portion of the delivery device, converting at least a portion of the captured material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device from an active form to a substantially inactive form with the capture portion of the delivery device, storing at least a portion of the captured material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device, binding at least a portion of the captured material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device, or sequestering at least a portion of the captured material released from the upstream portion of the delivery device.

93. The method of claim 50, including:

detecting a branch point including two or more branches in the body lumen;

selecting a preferred branch from among the two or more branches; and

causing the delivery device to enter the preferred branch.

94. The method of claim 50, wherein detecting the arrival of the delivery device at the target site includes at least one of sensing a local condition with a sensor on the delivery device or sensing the position of the delivery device with a remote monitoring system.

95. The method of claim 50, including increasing the permeability of a wall of the body lumen to the material by at least one of electroporation, iontophoresis, mechanical disruption of the wall of the body lumen, or chemical permeability enhancement.

96. The method of claim 50, wherein the body lumen includes at least one of a blood vessel, a CSF space, a portion of the respiratory tract, a portion of the urinary tract, a portion of a reproductive tract, or a portion of a digestive tract.

97. The method of claim 50, wherein the material includes at least one of an adhesive, a filler, a hydrogel, an antibiotic, a pharmaceutical compound, a nutrient, a hormone, a growth factor, a medication, a therapeutic compound, an enzyme, a protein, a genetic material, a cell, a fraction of a cell, a vaccine, a vitamin, a neurotransmitter, a neurotropic agent, a neuroactive material, a cytokine, a cell-signaling material, a pro-apoptotic agent, an anti-apoptotic agent, an immunological mediator, an anti-inflammatory agent, a salt, an ion, an antioxidant, an imaging agent, a labeling agent, a diagnostic compound, a nanomaterial, an inhibitor, a blocker, or a material previously collected within the body of the subject.

52-61. -61. (canceled)

63-82. -82. (canceled)