# US 11,998,737 B2 · Iontophoresis methods

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- Number: US 11,998,737 B2
- Document ID: US11998737B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/799,250
- Filed: 2020-02-24
- Published: 2020-07-09
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2007-12-20
- Assignees: Tusker Medical, Inc.
- Applicants: Tusker Medical, Inc.
- Inventors: John H. Morriss; Greg Liu; Kate Hames
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998737B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/325: {for iontophoresis, i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body (electrodes for external use A61N1/0428)}
- A61F 11/00: Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense (implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00); Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand (headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16)
- A61M 19/00: Local anaesthesia (syringes therefor A61M5/00); Hypothermia (A61M5/42 takes precedence; cooling blood in a bypass of the arterial system A61M1/36)
- A61M 31/00: Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body (A61M25/00 takes precedence {; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008})
- A61N 1/30: Apparatus for iontophoresis, {i.e. transfer of media in ionic state by an electromotoric force into the body}, or cataphoresis
- A61N 1/303: {Constructional details (electrodes for external use A61N1/0428)}
- A61N 1/306: {Arrangements where at least part of the apparatus is introduced into the body}
- A61K 9/0009: {involving or responsive to electricity, magnetism or acoustic waves; Galenical aspects of sonophoresis, iontophoresis, electroporation or electroosmosis}
- A61K 31/167: having the nitrogen of a carboxamide group directly attached to the aromatic ring, e.g. lidocaine, paracetamol
- A61K 33/00: Medicinal preparations containing inorganic active ingredients
- A61M 2210/0662: Ears
- A61N 1/36021: {for treatment of pain}
- H04N 7/17318: {Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests}
- H04N 21/4722: for requesting additional data associated with the content
- H04N 21/6581: {Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application}
- H04N 21/8352: involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
- H04N 21/858: Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61K: PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES (devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms A61J3/00; chemical aspects of, or use of materials for deodorisation of air, for disinfection or sterilisation, or for bandages, dressings, absorbent pads or surgical articles A61L; soap compositions C11D)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A method of anesthetizing a tympanic membrane of an ear of a patient using iontophoresis is disclosed. The method involves delivering an anesthetizing drug solution to an ear canal of the patient's ear, wherein the drug solution includes an anesthetic and a buffer, and wherein the drug solution has a pH in a range of about 6.5 to about 7.5; and applying an amount of current to the drug solution, wherein the applied amount of current is increased at a rate of less than about 0.5 milliamp per second until a maximum current is achieved.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating a patient, the patient having an ear canal, the method comprising:
positioning a fluid in the ear canal, the fluid including a therapeutic agent;
inserting an electrode of an iontophoresis device in the ear canal;
attaching a ground electrode of the iontophoresis device to the patient, the electrode and the ground electrode forming a circuit configured to deliver a current to the fluid,
ramping the current to the electrode, the ramping to a first level;
receiving an indication of patient discomfort; and in response to the receiving,
changing the current delivered by the circuit to a second level based on the indication of patient discomfort.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic agent includes an anesthetic.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid has an un-buffered pH of between 5.2-5.9.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the therapeutic agent includes at least one of an antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory, a mucolytic, an anesthetic, a steroid, an anti-viral, a surfactant or combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the ramping the current further comprises ramping the current in stepped increments over a time period until a level of the current is at the first level.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the first level is less than 1.0 milliamp.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the changing the current includes increasing the current to the second level based on the indication of patient discomfort.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the changing the current includes decreasing the current to the second level based on the indication of patient discomfort.