Surgery – Miscellaneous – Devices placed entirely within body and means used therewith
Patent
1996-12-03
1999-02-09
Page, Thurman K.
Surgery
Miscellaneous
Devices placed entirely within body and means used therewith
128897, 128898, 424423, 424424, 424425, A61B 1900, A61F 1300
Patent
active
058681426
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention refers to a device for preventing a person from using a drug. The invention in particular refers to an implantable device In order to dispense a preparation stored in the device with such effect and dosage that negative reactions are obtained in the person. The device includes means for sensing the presence of the drug or a substance associated with the drug in the body and control of the dispensing of the preparation so that it is dispensed only after the presence of the drug has been detected. The invention is especially adapted for implantation on alcoholics with the purpose of completely prevent the use of alcohol, whereby the preparation normally never is dispensed to the body since the knowledge about its effect makes the person to completely relinquish alcohol.
An object of the present invention is thus to provide a device that constitutes an efficient hindrance for an abuser to exert his abuse. It is also an object to provide a device of the type being operative during a long period of time and which can not be manipulated or removed by the addict.
A further object is that the device should not dispense any preparation when a drug or the like is not detected, whereby side effects of long term use of chemical preparations is eliminated. Still an object is to utilize the knowledge of the abuser about the function and effect of the device so that the person does not exert the abuse and the device will not be activated. These and other objects are accomplished by giving a device according to the invention the features stated in the subsequent patent claims.
The invention will now be described in closer detail with reference to the drawing on which FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an example of a device according to the invention.
The device is constructed in a way similar to the implantable insulin pumps that sense the sugar content of the blood and dispenses insulin so that this content is maintained within a definite interval, but in comparison to these it exhibits substantial differences in function and area of use. A substantial difference is that the substance that is sensed is of the kind that normally should not be present in the body, such as alcohol or another drug or any substance that is associated with the existence of such a drug. Another substantial difference is that the preparation which is stored in the device in order to be dispensed if necessary is not intended to restore an imbalance in the body but instead brings about such a discomfort in the form of nausea and similar negative reactions that the person quickly stops taking the drug and avoids it henceforth.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
An embodiment according to FIG. 1 of a device according to the invention consequently exhibits an implantable housing 1 provided with a sensor means 2 and an output orifice 3 for a preparation stored in the device. The sensor means 2 can be placed on the outside of the housing 1 or at the end of a longish means (not shown) connected to the housing, whereby the sensor means for instance can be applied in a vein, in the subcutis fat or in the abdominal cavity. The sensor means 2 in the housing 1 is connected to a sensing circuit 4. This interacts with the sensor means in such a way that an output signal which is dependent of the drug sensed in the present case by the sensor is emitted from the sensing circuit 4. When a threshold value of the output signal is exceeded, which is detected by the threshold value circuit 5, this gives an output signal to a pump control circuit 6 which connects the pump 7 so that it emits a predetermined amount of the preparation from a container 8 through the output orifice 3, which is arranged to dispense the preparation in the tissue around the housing 1 or to a catheter (not shown) that ends in a vessel or in another part of the tissue
The device according to the invention is preferably also provided with an energy source 9 and a control unit 10 with a clock that controls the energy supply to the circuits so that they are only switched in at a pre
REFERENCES:
patent: 5486362 (1996-01-01), Kitchell et al.
patent: 5573528 (1996-11-01), Aebischer et al.
patent: 5618287 (1997-04-01), Fogarty et al.
Carl Dahlborn AB
Page Thurman K.
Shelborne Kathryne E.
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