Special receptacle or package – For ampule – capsule – pellet – or granule – Single unit container
Patent
1991-03-05
1993-10-19
Moy, Joseph Man-Fu
Special receptacle or package
For ampule, capsule, pellet, or granule
Single unit container
206540, 206583, 220737, 220671, B61D 4310
Patent
active
052537617
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a reservoir for at least one capsule for oral administration which capsule comprises a substance which is dangerous for the environment, in particular a radioactive composition. It is often desirable to administer a substance which is dangerous for the environment orally to a patient. Such a substance is usually dissolved and given the patient to drink. It will be obvious that such an administration is not very comfortable for the patient and moreover is not safe for him/herself and for his/her environment. In fact, the risk of spilling the solution given to drink is great. It is therefore common practice to administer such dangerous substances in the form of capsules, in which the capsule wall, which is preferably manufactured from gelatin, dissolves in the stomach and releases the substance. A well-known example of such a dangerous substance for oral administration, namely a radioactive substance, is radioactive iodine, in particular iodine-131. This radioactive iodine is administered, for example, as sodium iodide, in a suitable capsule, e.g. a gelatin capsule, to a patient, either as a diagnostic, namely to provide information on the functioning of the thyroid gland, or as a therapeutic, namely to control thyroid gland tumours.
The invention relates more in particular to a reservoir for at least one capsule with dangerous substance for oral administration, which reservoir can be enclosed within an at least substantially cylindrical shielding sleeve, has a closed bottom and at its open upper end can be closed by means of a cap, for example, a screw cap, or a cap having a bayonet catch or the like. Such a reservoir having a capsule which comprises a I-131-containing composition is placed available while enclosed in a lead shielding sleeve, the idea of this is that the patient opens the shielding sleeve, unscrews the cap from the reservoir, lets the capsule from the reservoir slide into his mouth and finally swallows the capsule with some water. In practice a cylindrical glass vial is used as a reservoir.
It has been found that the capsule, although dry and accommodated in the reservoir with a sufficient amount of "play", often "sticks" in the vial when the opened vial is turned upside down to let the capsule slide into the mouth. This problem presents itself in particular for capsules which comprise radioactive compositions, for example. iodine-131 compositions. The patient then has to try to get the capsule out of the reservoir yet by shaking the inverted reservoir or by using an instrument, for example, tweezers. A particularly inconvenient situation and moreover unsafe, especially due to the extra long time in which the environment of the patient is exposed to the dangerous substances, in particular the radioactive radiation which is released from the capsule. It has further been found that the problem is not solved by using a synthetic material instead of a glass reservoir.
The inventor has now found that this problem can be solved by providing the reservoir internally with a plurality of longitudinal ribs. The "sticking" of the capsule or capsules in the reservoir proves to be obviated substantially when such a reservoir is used. A further improvement can be achieved by giving the bottom of the reservoir a convex construction internally. The so-called "sticking", in which the capsule or capsules do not leave the reservoir when same is opened and inverted has been found to occur not at all any longer when a reservoir is used which internally has a number of longitudinal ribs and a convex bottom.
It is furthermore of the utmost importance that capsules comprising substances which are dangerous for the environment, in particular radioactive radiation-emitting compositions, remain inside the shielding sleeve as long as possible. It has so far been common practice, after opening the shielding sleeve, to take the reservoir out of the shielding sleeve and then to open it by unscrewing the cap.
It will be obvious that the patient's environment is exposed to the unprotected dangerous
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Mallinckrodt Medical Inc.
Man-Fu Moy Joseph
Stierwalt Brian K.
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