Internal magnetic device to enhance drug therapy
US5921244A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 13, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N5/0601
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A magnet used for concentrating a medical substance carried by a magnetic fluid at an internal treatment site. The magnet is inserted through an opening in a patient's body and advanced to the internal treatment site. Although an electromagnet is used in one alternative embodiment, the magnet is preferably a super neodymium or other rare earth permanent magnet having a high field strength. A probe that includes the magnet is coated with a biologically inert material, such as a TEFLON.TM. polymer. Alternatively, a plurality of such magnets can be employed. In the preferred embodiment, a magnetic fluid that includes particles coated with a photoreactive agent is injected into the patient's body, preferably, immediately adjacent to or inside the treatment site. The particles in the magnetic fluid are attracted to the magnet at the treatment site, and the concentration of the photoreactive agent absorbed into the tissue around the magnet at the internal treatment site is enhanced. The photoreactive agent is used to provide a photodynamic therapy (PDT) to the treatment site that destroys cells that have absorbed the photoreactive agent when the internal treatment site is illuminated by …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.