Oxygen delivery agents and uses for the same

Abstract

The present invention describes, inter alia, oxygen delivery agents or blood substitutes comprising a fluorinated gas and a stabilizing material, uses for the oxygen delivery agents or blood substitutes, and apparatus for making and delivering the oxygen delivery agents or blood substitutes.

1 - 50 . (canceled)  
   
   
       51 . An apparatus for making an oxygen delivery agent, comprising: 
 a first vessel containing a stabilizing material;    a second vessel containing a fluorinated compound;    means for mixing said stabilizing material and said fluorinated compound so as to form a mixture;    a supply of oxygen; and    means for introducing oxygen from said supply into said mixture so as to form an oxygen delivery agent.    
   
   
       52 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said stabilizing material comprises a aqueous solution containing lipids, whereby said mixing means forms an aqueous solution containing lipids filled with said fluorinated compound, and wherein said oxygen introducing means causes said fluorinated compound filled lipids to become further filled with said oxygen.  
   
   
       53 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said mixing means comprises means for inducing turbulence in said mixture.  
   
   
       54 . The apparatus according to  claim 53 , wherein said turbulence inducing means comprises a static mixer.  
   
   
       55 . The apparatus according to  claim 54 , wherein said static mixer comprises a helical baffle disposed within a conduit through which said mixture flows.  
   
   
       56 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said mixing means comprises means for agitating said mixture.  
   
   
       57 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said mixing means comprises means for generating pressure waves directed toward said mixture.  
   
   
       58 . The apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises means for generating pressure waves in the ultrasonic frequency range.  
   
   
       59 . The apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises means for generating pressure waves in die approximately 20 KHz to 5 MHz frequency range.  
   
   
       60 . The apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises a transducer.  
   
   
       61 . The apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises a chamber, said chamber enclosing a conduit through which said mixture flows.  
   
   
       62 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein said pressure wave generating means further comprises means for facilitating transmission of said pressure waves through said chamber.  
   
   
       63 . The apparatus according to  claim 62 , wherein said pressure wave generating means further comprises a transducer, and wherein said pressure wave transmission facilitating means comprises a medium disposed within said chamber between said conduit and said transducer.  
   
   
       64 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein said pressure wave generating means further comprises at least first and second transducers mounted on said chamber.  
   
   
       65 . The apparatus according to  claim 64 , wherein said first transducer has means for operating at a frequency lower than said second transducer.  
   
   
       66 . The apparatus according to  claim 64 , wherein said first and second transducers have overlapping focal zone, and wherein said first transducer has means for operating at a first frequency and said second transducer has means for operating at a second frequency, said second frequency being an integer multiple of said first frequency.  
   
   
       67 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said mixing means comprises means for bringing said fluorinated compound and said stabilizing material into contact with each other.  
   
   
       68 . The apparatus according to  claim 67 , wherein said contacting means comprises a section of tubing having first and second branches in flow communication with said first and second vessels, respectively.  
   
   
       69 . The apparatus according to  claim 67 , wherein said mixing means further comprises a static mixer.  
   
   
       70 . The apparatus according to  claim 69 , wherein said mixing means further comprises a pressure transducer.  
   
   
       71 . The apparatus according to  claim 70 , wherein said pressure transducer has means for operating in the ultrasonic frequency range.  
   
   
       72 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , further comprising means for heating said mixture.  
   
   
       73 . The apparatus according to  claim 72 , wherein said heating means has means for heating said mixture to at least approximately 37° C.  
   
   
       74 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein one of said vessels is disposed within the other of said vessels.  
   
   
       75 . The apparatus according to  claim 74 , further comprising means for releasing the contents of said one vessel into said other vessel.  
   
   
       76 . The apparatus according to  claim 74 , wherein one of said vessels forms a headspace containing said supply of oxygen.  
   
   
       77 . The apparatus according to  claim 76 , wherein said vessel forming said oxygen containing headspace is said one of said vessels that is disposed within the other of said vessels.  
   
   
       78 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said second vessel is disposed within said first vessel, and wherein said second vessel forms a headspace adjacent said fluorinated compound, said headspace containing said supply of oxygen.  
   
   
       79 . The apparatus according to  claim 78 , further comprising means for rupturing said second vessel, thereby releasing said fluorinated compound and said oxygen into said second vessel.  
   
   
       80 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein one of said vessels comprises a flexible bag.  
   
   
       81 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein one of said vessels has means for preferentially rupturing in a localized area.  
   
   
       82 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein at least one of said vessels comprises a first syringe.  
   
   
       83 . The apparatus according to  claim 82 , wherein said first vessel comprises said first syringe.  
   
   
       84 . The apparatus according to  claim 83 , wherein said second vessel comprises a second syringe.  
   
   
       85 . The apparatus according to  claim 83 , wherein said second vessel comprises a flexible bag disposed within said first syringe.  
   
   
       86 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , further comprising means for evacuating said first and second vessels.  
   
   
       87 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein said first vessel comprises a syringe, said syringe having a plunger, and wherein said evacuating means comprises means for driving said plunger.  
   
   
       88 . The apparatus according to  claim 87 , wherein said means for driving said plunger comprises pressurized gas.  
   
   
       89 . The apparatus according to  claim 88 , further comprising a third vessel, said third vessel containing said pressurized gas, and wherein said means for driving said plunger further comprises means for piercing said third vessel.  
   
   
       90 . The apparatus according to  claim 89 , wherein said piercing means comprises a threaded joint.  
   
   
       91 . The apparatus according to  claim 86 , wherein said first vessel comprises a syringe, said second vessel comprises a rupturable member disposed within said syringe, further comprising means for rupturing said rupturable member.  
   
   
       92 . The apparatus according to  claim 91 , wherein said rupturable member comprises a flexible bag.  
   
   
       93 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , further comprising a conduit for delivering said oxygen delivery agent to a patient.  
   
   
       94 . The apparatus according to  claim 93 , wherein said means for introducing said oxygen into said mixture comprises means for directing said oxygen from said supply into said conduit.  
   
   
       95 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said means for introducing said oxygen into said mixture comprises means for directing said oxygen from said supply into one of said first and second vessels.  
   
   
       96 . The apparatus according to  claim 95 , wherein said oxygen supply comprises a third vessel, and wherein said means for directing said oxygen into one of said first and second vessels comprises means for piercing said third vessel.  
   
   
       97 . The apparatus according to  claim 96 , wherein said means for piercing said third vessel comprises a threaded joint.  
   
   
       98 . The apparatus according to  claim 96 , further comprising means for evacuating said one of said first and second vessels into which said oxygen is directed, said evacuating means comprising a third vessel containing a supply of pressurized gas.  
   
   
       99 . The apparatus according to  claim 98 , wherein said one of said first and second vessel into which said oxygen is directed comprises a syringe, said syringe having a plunger, said evacuating means further comprising means for directing said pressurized gas to said plunger.  
   
   
       100 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said fluorinated compound in said second vessel is a fluorinated gas.  
   
   
       101 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said fluorinated compound in said second vessel is a fluorinated gaseous precursor.  
   
   
       102 . The apparatus according to  claim 101 , further comprising means for converting said gaseous precursor to a gas.  
   
   
       103 . The apparatus according to  claim 102 , wherein said means for converting said gaseous precursor to a gas comprises means for generating pressure waves directed toward said gaseous precursor.  
   
   
       104 . The apparatus according to  claim 103 , wherein said pressure waves are generated at a frequency in the ultrasonic range.  
   
   
       105 . The apparatus according to  claim 103 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises a first transducer.  
   
   
       106 . The apparatus according to  claim 105 , wherein said pressure wave generating means further comprises a second transducer, and wherein said first transducer has means for operating at a first frequency and said second transducer has means for operating at a second frequency, said first frequency being lower than said second frequency.  
   
   
       107 . The apparatus according to  claim 106 , wherein second frequency is an integer multiple of said first frequency.  
   
   
       108 . The apparatus according to  claim 51 , wherein said oxygen delivery agent is in the form of a vesicle, and further comprising means for regulating the size of said vesicle.  
   
   
       109 . The apparatus according to  claim 108 , wherein said sizing means comprises a filter.  
   
   
       110 . The apparatus according to  claim 108 . wherein said sizing means comprises means for generating pressure waves.  
   
   
       111 . The apparatus according to  claim 110 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises means for generating pressure waves in the ultrasonic frequency range.  
   
   
       112 . The apparatus according to  claim 111 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises means for generating pressure waves in the approximately 20 KHz to 5 MHz frequency range.  
   
   
       113 . The apparatus according to  claim 110 , wherein said pressure wave generating means comprises a transducer.  
   
   
       114 . An apparatus for making an oxygen delivery agent, comprising: 
 a first vessel containing a stabilizing material;    a second vessel containing a fluorinated compound;    means for forming a mixture of said stabilizing material and said fluorinated compound;    means for generating ultrasonic pressure waves and directed said pressure waves toward said mixture.    
   
   
       115 . The apparatus according to  claim 114 , wherein said mixture forms vesicles, and wherein said ultrasonic pressure generating means has means for regulating the size of said vesicles.  
   
   
       116 . The apparatus according to  claim 114 , wherein said fluorinated compound comprises a gaseous precursor, and wherein said ultrasonic pressure generating means has means for converting said. gaseous precursor to a gas.  
   
   
       117 - 134 . (canceled)