EP0178769A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Semiconductor implant devices
Assignee: UK Secretary of State for Defence
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Filing: 1985-09-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-09-03
Abstract
Abstract A medical implant for injecting into the vascular system of animals comprises a device less than 500um in size carrying signal processing for providing an output in response to an input signal. The input may be acoustic, electromagnetic, temperature pH value, or chemical. The output may be acoustic, electromagnetic, or chemical. Large numbers e.g. 10" of the implant devices may be mixed into a saline solution and injected into a blood vessel where they are carried round the vascular system. Alternatively the devices may be mixed with a gas and inhaled. The amount of circulation depends on the device size. For the larger device e.g. above 7um to around 250um, circulation will be short lived. Smaller sized e.g. < 3um devices will circulate for a considerbale time. Antibodies may be coated onto the devices to cause them to adhere to target areas e.g. tumours. In one device a chemical is released when illuminated externally by an acoustic beam. In another device a chemical Is released when the pH of surrounding blood changes to a given level. Power to operate the device may be by an Integral battery.
Inventors
- 👤 John David Benjamin
- 👤 Adrian Leonard Mears
- 👤 John Charles White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/07; A61M; A61M37/00; H; H10; H10D; H10D99/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
16 words
The techniques for filtering, drying and resuspending the particles work and agglomeration is not a problem;
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
The techniques for filtering, drying and resuspending the particles work and agglomeration is not a problem;
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
154 words
There were no acute medical problems despite the fact that the doses were larger than those which would be used as a drug. Thids has also been reported in the literature as follows:- Chenical evaluation of acute cardiopulmonary toxicity of microspheres. D. R. Allen, J. M. Ferrens, F. W. Cheney, W B. Nelp. 1978. J. Nucl. Med. Vol. 19 No. 11 p. 1204-1208 Pulmonary perfusion imaging: Acute toxicity ard safety factors as a function of particle size. M. A. Davis, R. A. Taube. 1978. J. Nucl. Med. Vol. 19 No. 11, p. 1209-1213. Pathological changes in the lungs of mice following injection of human albumin microspheres. J. Szymendera, 0. Mioduszewska, I. Licinska, A. Czarnomska, B. Lucka. 1977. J. Nucl. Med. Vol. 18 No. 5 p. 478-482. Blood flow measurements with radiolabelled particles. M. Heyman, B. D. Payne, J. I. E. Hoffman, A. M. Rudolph 1977. Prog. Cardiovascular Diseases Vol. XX No. 1 p. 55-79.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
154 words
There were no acute medical problems despite the fact that the doses were larger than those which would be used as a drug. Thids has also been reported in the literature as follows:- Chenical evaluation of acute cardiopulmonary toxicity of microspheres. D. R. Allen, J. M. Ferrens, F. W. Cheney, W B. Nelp. 1978. J. Nucl. Med. Vol. 19 No. 11 p. 1204-1208 Pulmonary perfusion imaging: Acute toxicity ard safety factors as a function of particle size. M. A. Davis, R. A. Taube. 1978. J. Nucl. Med. Vol. 19 No. 11, p. 1209-1213. Pathological changes in the lungs of mice following injection of human albumin microspheres. J. Szymendera, 0. Mioduszewska, I. Licinska, A. Czarnomska, B. Lucka. 1977. J. Nucl. Med. Vol. 18 No. 5 p. 478-482. Blood flow measurements with radiolabelled particles. M. Heyman, B. D. Payne, J. I. E. Hoffman, A. M. Rudolph 1977. Prog. Cardiovascular Diseases Vol. XX No. 1 p. 55-79.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The data, particularly for the 1.5 um devices indicate that the removal by the circulation outside the lung, liver and spleen is small, so perfusing individual limbs or organs with blood containing MEDICs is viable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The data, particularly for the 1.5 um devices indicate that the removal by the circulation outside the lung, liver and spleen is small, so perfusing individual limbs or organs with blood containing MEDICs is viable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
To get general unrestricted circulation, coatings which will prevent attack by the recticulendothelial system are needed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
To get general unrestricted circulation, coatings which will prevent attack by the recticulendothelial system are needed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
307 words
Claims:- 1 . An intravascular device comprising a small semiconductor device of size less than 500 pm adapted to pass along blood vessels in large numbers, the devices carrying signal processing means for collectively providing an output in response to an input signal. 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is less than 7 µm overall. 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the devices is less than 3 µm overall. 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the input signal is acoustic. 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the input signal is electromagnetic. 6. The device of claim 1 wherein the input signal is temperature. 7. The device of claim 1 wherein the input signal is pH value. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the input signal is chemical. 9 . The device of claim 1 wherein the output is acoustic. 10. The device of claim 1 wherein the output is electromagnetic. 11 . The device of claim 1 wherein the output is chemical. 12. The device of claim 1 wherein the device includes a battery. 13. The device of claim 2 wherein the device includes piezo electric material and a rectifying structure for generating an electric signal. 14. The device of claim 4 wherein the device includes a diode for measuring temperature. 15. The device of claim 5 wherein the device includes a CHEMFET for measuring pH values. 16. The device of any one of claims 1 to 15 wherein the device is coated with an antibody. 17. A pharmaceutical preparation comprising a pharmaceutical compound or composition encapsulated within an inert carrier, characterised in that the carrier comprises a multitude of devices according to claim 1 wherein part of each device is frangible and ruptures to release the pharmaceutical compound or mixture on receipt of an input signal to the device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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