System and method for rapidly customizing design, manufacture and/or selection of biomedical devices

Abstract

The rapid design and manufacture of biomedical devices such as implants, oral dosage pills and implantable pharmaceuticals employs electronic data and modeling transmissions via a computer network. Patient information and patient-specific radiological data is captured and transmitted via a computer network to a design and/or manufacturing site. A multi-dimensional digital model is created based on the radiological data and patient information. Communications interchanges between a clinical/diagnostic site and a design/manufacturing site permit modification of the digital model until approved. The approved digital model is converted into machine instructions to construct the biomedical device. Alternatively, the digital model is employed in a best fit selection of a biomedical device from a pre-existing set of biomedical devices or machine-instructions. Transmittal of data over computer networks is further directed to the use of a Website to perform various client-interaction and follow-up tasks.

1 . A method for manufacturing and selling customized biomedical devices via a computer network, comprising: 
 transmitting patient-specific data from a patient location to a secure Web site via a computer network;    manufacturing a biomedical device based on the transmitted data;    delivering the biomedical device; and    maintaining records of the patient-specific data.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 generating follow-up notices based on the maintained records.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the biomedical device is an oral dosage form containing at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the biomedical device is an implantable drug delivery device containing at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein manufacturing a biomedical device based on the transmitted data includes: 
 creating a set of machine instructions based on the transmitted data; and  
 three-dimensionally printing according to the machine instructions to create the biomedical device.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 creating a set of machine instructions based on the transmitted data; and    three-dimensionally printing according to the machine instructions to create at least two biomedical devices.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the transmitted data includes time release information for at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 producing a first Webpage for display at a design location, the first Webpage providing access to a first set of data; and    producing a second Webpage for display at a at a diagnostic location, the second Webpage providing access to a second set of data, the second set of data omitting at least one piece of data contained in the first set of data.    
     
     
         9 . A method for delivery of customized medical devices, comprising: 
 transmitting patient-specific data from a patient location to a secure Web site via a computer network;    selecting a medical device from a stock of pre-made medical devices based on the transmitted data;    delivering the selected medical device; and    maintaining records of the patient-specific data.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising 
 generating follow-up notices based on the maintained records.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the selected medical device is an oral dosage form containing at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the selected medical device is an implantable drug delivery device containing at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the transmitted data includes time release information for at least one active pharmaceutical ingredient.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 maintaining records of inventory.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 automatically ordering replacement materials based on the records of inventory.    
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable media for causing a computing system to automate manufacturing and selling individually fitted customized biomedical devices for a given recipient via a computer network, by: 
 receiving radiological data in a computerized form;    converting the radiological data to a multi-dimensional model;    modifying the multi-dimensional model to include an internal architecture;    converting the modified multi-dimensional model into machine instructions;    manufacturing a customized biomedical device from the machine instructions wherein the biomedical device is anatomically correct to the individual patient; and    shipping the biomedical device to the recipient for implantation.    
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable media of  claim 16  for causing a computing system to automate manufacturing and selling individually fitted customized biomedical devices for a given recipient via a computer network, further by: 
 maintaining records of inventory.  
 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable media of  claim 17  for causing a computing system to automate manufacturing and selling individually fitted customized biomedical devices for a given recipient via a computer network, further by: 
 automatically ordering replacement materials based on the records of inventory.  
 
     
     
         19 . A computer-readable media for causing a computing system to automate delivery of customized medical devices, by: 
 transmitting patient-specific data from a patient location to a secure Web site via a computer network;    selecting a medical device from a stock of pre-made medical devices based on the transmitted data;    delivering the selected medical device; and    maintaining records of the patient-specific data.    
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable media of  claim 19  for causing a computing system to automate delivery of customized medical devices, further by: 
 maintaining records of inventory.  
 
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable media of  claim 20  for causing a computing system to automate delivery of customized medical devices, further by: 
 automatically ordering replacement materials based on the records of inventory.