摘要:
Medical devices and methods are provided for electrical stimulation of neural tissue and controlled drug delivery to a patient. The device includes an implantable drug delivery module which comprises a plurality of reservoirs, a release system comprising at least one drug contained in each of the reservoirs, and control means for selectively releasing a pharmaceutically effective amount of drug from each reservoir; a neural electrical stimulator which comprises a signal generator connected to at least one stimulation electrode for operable engagement with a neural tissue of the patient; and at least one microcontroller for controlling operational interaction of the drug delivery module and the neural electrical stimulator. The microcontroller may control the signal generator and the control means of the drug delivery module. The device may further include a sensor operable to deliver a signal to the microcontroller, for example to indicate when to deliver electrical stimulation, drug, or both.
摘要:
Medical devices and methods are provided for electrical stimulation of neural tissue and controlled drug delivery to a patient. The device includes an implantable drug delivery module which comprises a plurality of reservoirs, a release system comprising at least one drug contained in each of the reservoirs, and control means for selectively releasing a pharmaceutically effective amount of drug from each reservoir; a neural electrical stimulator which comprises a signal generator connected to at least one stimulation electrode for operable engagement with a neural tissue of the patient; and at least one microcontroller for controlling operational interaction of the drug delivery module and the neural electrical stimulator. The microcontroller may control the signal generator and the control means of the drug delivery module. The device may further include a sensor operable to deliver a signal to the microcontroller, for example to indicate when to deliver electrical stimulation, drug, or both.
摘要:
Devices and methods are provided for the controlled release or exposure of reservoir contents. The device includes a substrate, a plurality of reservoirs in the substrate, reservoir contents disposed in the reservoirs, discrete reservoir caps covering each reservoir to seal the reservoir contents in the reservoirs, and control circuitry for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps to release or expose the reservoir contents in vivo. At least one of the reservoir caps comprises a first electrically conductive layer coated with one or more protective layers. In one embodiment, the control circuitry comprises an electrical input lead and an electrical output lead connected to and directly contacting each of said reservoir caps and a source of electric power for applying an electrical current through each reservoir cap in an amount effective to rupture each of the reservoir caps.
摘要:
Methods and systems are provided for delivering drug to the eye. The method and system may include implanting into the eye a device which comprises two or more discrete reservoirs, each reservoir containing a drug; and directing focused light to the implanted device to open a first one of the reservoirs and thereby permit the drug to diffuse from the first reservoir to the patient's eye.
摘要:
Devices and methods are provided for transdermal administration of a pharmaceutical agent to a patient in need thereof. The device includes a substrate, a plurality of discrete reservoirs in the substrate, one or more pharmaceutical agents stored in the reservoirs, discrete reservoir caps that prevent the pharmaceutical agent from passing out from the reservoirs until desired, control means for actuating release of the one or more pharmaceutical agents from one or more of the reservoirs by disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir caps, means for securing the device to the skin of the patient, and means for transporting the pharmaceutical agent to the skin following release from the one or more of the reservoirs. In another embodiment, the device is adapted for diagnostic sensing instead of or in addition to drug delivery.
摘要:
Methods are provided for hermetically sealing the reservoirs of microchip devices and for hermetically sealing the substrate assemblies in a hermetic packaging structure. In one embodiment, the method comprises (1) providing a primary substrate having a front side and a back side, the substrate comprising a plurality of reservoirs positioned between the front side and the back side, each reservoir being loaded with molecules or a secondary device for controlled release or exposure, the reservoirs having at least one opening in need of sealing, the primary substrate including one or more hermetic sealing materials; (2) providing a hermetic sealing substrate having a surface composed of one or more hermetic sealing materials; (3) positioning the hermetic sealing substrate over the reservoir openings and contacting said hermetic sealing materials of the primary substrate with said hermetic sealing materials of the hermetic sealing substrate; and (4) applying energy or a mechanical force to the contacted sealing materials effective to form a hermetic seal between the hermetic sealing substrate and the primary substrate to hermetically seal the reservoir openings.
摘要:
Methods and devices are provided for mechanically sealing the reservoirs of microchip devices to prevent leakage from or between any of the reservoirs. In one embodiment, the method includes sandwiching a microchip device and a gasket material covering the reservoir openings between a front sealing frame and a backplate, such that the gasket material is compressed against the back side of the microchip device by the back plate. The front sealing frame is secured to the back sealing plate using fasteners or welding. The gasket material is preferably a flexible polymeric sheet, which is biocompatible and compatible with the reservoir contents. In another embodiment, a composite backplate is used in place of the back sealing plate and separate gasket material. The composite backplate can include a substrate having sealing plugs defined thereon. The composite backplate also can be designed to hold the drug, thereby combining the assembly steps of reservoir filling and sealing.
摘要:
Medical devices, utilizing multiple reservoirs to protect and selectively expose sensors or other reservoir contents, are provided having (i) a reservoir contents destruction mechanism to interrupt the release or exposure of reservoir contents, for example, to deactivate an unneeded sensor and prevent it from negatively impacting other sensors, (ii) a protective covering material layer over the sensor underneath the reservoir cap, which protects the sensor membrane and sensor during reservoir cap disintegration and then is removed, (iii) a device design for containing sensors in shallow, wide reservoir structures to enhance sensor exposure by minimizing molecular diffusion distances, (iv) an implantable sensor unit and a separate drug delivery unit, or (v) combinations thereof.
摘要:
Devices and methods are provided for transdermal diagnostic sensing, alone or in combination with transdermal drug delivery. The device includes a substrate having a plurality of discrete reservoirs, each reservoir having at least one opening; contents disposed in the reservoirs, the contents of each reservoir including a diagnostic agent or a sensor for measuring an analyte; at least one discrete reservoir cap which cover said at least one opening; control means for disintegrating or permeabilizing the reservoir cap; means for transporting an analyte from the skin to said sensors and/or for transporting said diagnostic agent to the skin following release of said diagnostic agents from said reservoir; and means for securing the device to the skin of a patient.
摘要:
Devices are provided for the controlled exposure or release of contents stored in hermetically sealed reservoirs. The devices comprise a primary substrate having a front side and a back side, and including one or more hermetic sealing materials; a plurality of reservoirs in the primary substrate positioned between the front side and the back side; reservoir contents, which comprise chemical molecules (such as drugs) or a secondary device (such as a glucose sensor), located inside the reservoirs; a hermetic sealing substrate having a surface composed of one or more hermetic sealing materials; and a hermetic seal formed between and joining the primary substrate and the hermetic sealing substrate, wherein the hermetic seal independently seals the reservoirs.