Method and apparatus for dermal delivery of a substance
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorsRichard R. Anderson, William A. Farinelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for delivering substances, e.g., therapeutic substances, into openings on or near a skin surface, such as hair follicles, pores and/or into sebaceous glands. This can be achieved by using an apparatus to direct a substance into the openings under pressure via one or more nozzles or slits. A portion of the sebum present in the hair follicle is optionally heated and/or removed, e.g. using low-pressure conduit located on the lower surface of the apparatus, before introducing the therapeutic substance.
Claims20
An apparatus for delivering a substance to skin tissue, comprising:
- a housing configured to contact a surface of the skin tissue;
- at least one opening provided in a lower surface of the housing;
- a delivery arrangement provided in the housing configured to deliver the substance under elevated pressure through the at least one opening onto the skin tissue;
- and
- at least one low-pressure channel proximal to at least a portion of the at least one opening, wherein the low-pressure channel is configured to position the at least one opening against the surface of the skin tissue when a reduced pressure is provided in the low-pressure channel.
A method for delivering a substance to skin tissue, comprising:
- delivering the substance under elevated pressure through at least one opening in a substrate onto the skin tissue;
- and
- providing at least one low-pressure channel along a lower surface of the substrate proximal to at least a portion of the at least one opening, wherein the low-pressure channel is configured to maintain the lower surface of the substrate proximal to the surface of the skin tissue when a reduced pressure is provided in the low-pressure channel.
A method for treating a subject having a skin condition comprising:
- delivering a therapeutically effective amount of a substance under elevated pressure through at least one opening in a substrate onto the skin tissue of the subject;
- and
- providing at least one low-pressure channel along a lower surface of the substrate proximal to at least a portion of the at least one opening, wherein the low-pressure channel is configured to maintain the lower surface of the substrate proximal to the surface of the skin tissue when a reduced pressure is provided in the low-pressure channel;
- thereby treating the subject for a skin condition.
The method of claim 26, further comprising providing at least one high-pressure channel proximal to at least a portion of the low-pressure channel along the lower surface of the substrate, wherein the high-pressure channel is configured to facilitate translation of the substrate over a surface of the skin tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.