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Analyte-controlled liquid delivery device and analyte monitor
| Details |
Inventors: Gross, Joseph; Kelly, John Gerard;
Assignee: Elan Medical Technologies Limited (Athlone, IE)
Primary Examiner: McDermott; Corrine M.
Assistant Examiner: Nguyen; At
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Maher; Kathleen L.
A liquid delivery device comprising a housing having a lower surface for application to the skin of a subject and having a reservoir and a gas generation chamber therein separated by a displaceable membrane. Gas generated by an electrolytic cell under the control of a microprocessor causes the gas generation chamber to expand and the reservoir to contract, thereby discharging a liquid drug, such as insulin, from the reservoir via a hollow delivery needle extending from the lower surface. The delivery needle and a sensor needle both extend from the lower surface a sufficient distance so as to penetrate through the epidermis and into the dermis when the housing is pressed against the skin. The sensor needle has an enzymatic coating for the detection of an analyte, such as glucose in the subject's plasma. The delivery needle is made of platinum-iridium, and a current passes between the needles and a potentiostat circuit according to the amount of glucose detected. A reference electrode (silver/silver chloride) which rests against the subject's skin increases the accuracy of the glucose measurement. The current through the potentiostat circuit is measured by a voltmeter and a signal from the voltmeter is amplified and communicated to the microprocessor which determines the correct rate of delivery of the drug on the basis of the level of analyte detected in the subject's plasma. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG.
1 shows a device according to the invention, illustrated generally at 10, for use in the controlled delivery of insulin to a "Type 1" diabetic subject (i.
e.
suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus).
The device 10 comprises a housing 11 containing an insulin reservoir 12 for storing insulin in liquid form (suspension, solution or liquid) and a gas generation chamber 13.
Reservoir 12 and gas generation chamber 13 are separated by an elastomeric membrane 14, such that an expansion of gas generation chamber 13 leads to a corresponding contraction of insulin reservoir 12.
A platinum-iridium delivery needle 15 projects through a lower surface 16 of housing 11 by a distance of 2.
5 mm.
Delivery needle 15 is hollow and is open at an inner end 17 to insulin reservoir 12.
It is also open at outer end 18 such that, when lower surface 16 of housing 11 is pressed against a subject's skin, delivery needle 15 penetrates through the epidermis and the dermis, thereby establishing communication between insulin reservoir 12 and the subject's subcutaneous tissue via the hollow needle 15.
If a shorter needle is used, communication can be established with the capillary system of the dermis.
Gas generation chamber 13 is provided with an electrolytic cell 19 powered by a battery 20 under the control of a programmable microprocessor 21.
Microprocessor 21 controls the rate at which gas is generated in electrolytic cell 19 by the electrolysis of water.
Electrolytic cell 19 has walls of a hydrophobic material which allow gas to permeate therethrough but which retain water within the cell.
When gas is generated by electrolytic cell 19, the pressure increases in gas generation chamber 13, causing the volume of chamber 13 to expand with a corresponding contraction of insulin reservoir 12, resulting in insulin being forced out of reservoir 12 through needle 15 (and, in use, into the patient's tissue).
Microprocessor 21 controls the rate of gas generation and, consequently, the rate of insulin delivery, by monitoring the patient's blood glucose level by means of a glucose sensor, indicated generally at 22
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Cosmetic Surgery 
