Cochlear drug delivery system and method

Abstract

A drug administration system configured to administer a drug to a user's ear includes a housing, sized and shaped to substantially fit behind the user's ear, and configured to pump the drug in controlled amounts to the user's middle ear. A drug reservoir is disposed in the housing and includes a drug configured to treat an inner ear condition. A catheter is operatively coupled to the drug reservoir and is sized and shaped to extend from the drug administration unit into the user's middle ear.

1 . A drug administration system configured to administer a drug to a user's ear, the system comprising: 
 a) a housing, sized and shaped to substantially fit behind and conform to the user's ear, and having means for pumping the drug in controlled amounts to the user's middle ear, wherein the means for pumping includes a motor and pressure reservoir;    b) a drug reservoir, disposed in the housing, including a drug configured to treat an inner ear condition; and    c) a catheter, operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, sized and shaped to extend from the drug administration unit and into the user's middle ear.    
   
   
       2 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a pump, disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, to pump the drug from the reservoir through the catheter.  
   
   
       3 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a pump, implantable under the user's skin and operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, to pump the drug from the reservoir through the catheter.  
   
   
       4 . A system in accordance with  1 , wherein the catheter extends from the drug administration unit, through the user's outer ear and ear drum, and into the user's middle ear.  
   
   
       5 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is at least partially implanted under the user's skin.  
   
   
       6 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising the pressure reservoir, disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, to force the drug from the reservoir through the catheter.  
   
   
       7 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a control valve, operatively coupled between the drug reservoir and the catheter, to control flow of the drug.  
   
   
       8 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the catheter is less than approximately 10 cm long.  
   
   
       9 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a curvature configured to conform to the user's ear.  
   
   
       10 . A system in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the catheter is configured to be disposed in the user's middle ear.  
   
   
       11 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an arcuate earpiece, attached to and extending from the drug administration unit, and sized and shaped to extend over the user's ear to secure the drug administration unit behind the user's ear.  
   
   
       12 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the catheter extends along the earpiece and into the user's ear canal.  
   
   
       13 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an adhesive pad, disposed on the drug administration unit, configured to adhere the pad, and thus the drug administration unit, to the user's skin.  
   
   
       14 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the drug reservoir is removably disposed in the housing.  
   
   
       15 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the drug reservoir is disposed outside the housing.  
   
   
       16 . A system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a) a controller, disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, to control administration of the drug;    b) a programmer, separate from the housing, to provide operating instructions to the controller; and    c) communication means, associated with the controller and programmer, for operatively coupling the controller and programmer and for transferring instructions from the programmer to the controller.    
   
   
       17 . A system in accordance with  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a) a controller, disposed adjacent the pump and operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, to control administration of the drug;    b) a programmer, separate from the housing, to provide operating instructions to the controller; and    c) communication means, associated with the controller and programmer, for operatively coupling the controller and programmer and for transferring instructions from the programmer to the controller.    
   
   
       18 . A method for administering a drug to a user's ear, comprising the steps of: 
 a) disposing a drug administration unit behind the user's ear, the drug administration unit including a housing sized and configured to substantially fit behind and conform to the user's ear, a drug reservoir containing a drug configured to treat an inner ear condition, and a catheter operatively coupled to the drug reservoir;    b) disposing the catheter inside the user's ear; and    c) circulating the drug from the drug reservoir, through a catheter, and into the user's ear, to maintain a constant concentration of the drug at a distal end of the catheter.    
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of disposing the catheter further comprises the step of disposing the distal end of the catheter through the user's ear drum.  
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of disposing the catheter inside the user's ear includes the step of disposing the catheter inside an ear contralateral to the ear behind which the drug administration unit is disposed.  
   
   
       21 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of disposing the catheter further comprises the step of implanting the catheter under the user's skin.  
   
   
       22 . A method in accordance with  claim 21 , wherein the step of disposing the catheter further comprises the step of inserting the catheter through the user's skin in an insertion location located substantially behind the user's ear.  
   
   
       23 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , further comprising the step of providing operating instructions to the drug administration unit from a programmer that is physically separate from the drug administration unit.  
   
   
       24 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of circulating further comprises the step of pumping the drug from the drug reservoir with a pump operatively coupled to the drug reservoir.  
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the pump is implanted under the user's skin.  
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the pump is disposed within the housing.  
   
   
       27 . A method in accordance with  claim 24 , further comprising the step of providing operating instructions to the drug administration unit from a control unit disposed on the pump.  
   
   
       28 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of circulating further comprises the step of forcing the drug from the drug reservoir with a pressure reservoir disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the drug reservoir.  
   
   
       29 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of circulating further comprises the step of controlling the drug with a control valve operatively coupled between the drug reservoir and the catheter.  
   
   
       30 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of circulating further comprises the step of delivering the drug into the user's ear with a catheter disposed in the user's ear.  
   
   
       31 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the step of disposing the drug administration unit behind the user's ear further comprises the step of disposing an arcuate earpiece attached to the drug administration unit over the user's ear.  
   
   
       32 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a) removing the drug reservoir from the drug administration unit; and    b) providing a new drug reservoir to the drug administration unit.    
   
   
       33 . A method in accordance with  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of: 
 a) obtaining drug delivery information from the drug administration unit; and    b) storing the drug delivery information in a database.    
   
   
       34 . A drug administration system configured to administer a drug to a diseased target area of a user's body, the system comprising: 
 a) a housing, sized and shaped to substantially fit behind and conform to the user's ear, having a means for pumping the drug in controlled amounts to the diseased target area of the user's body, wherein the means for pumping includes a motor and pressure reservoir;    b) a drug reservoir, disposed in the housing, including a drug configured to treat the diseased target area; and    c) a catheter, operatively coupled to the drug reservoir, sized and shaped to extend from the drug administration unit and into the user's body, the catheter including a section at least partially disposed adjacent the diseased target area.    
   
   
       35 . A system as in  claim 34 , wherein the diseased target area of the user's body are organs of the user's head and neck selected from the group consisting of: external and internal organs.  
   
   
       36 . A system as in  claim 34 , wherein the diseased target area of the user's body is selected from the group consisting of the user's: head, neck, brain, eye, ear, throat and nose.  
   
   
       37 . A system in accordance with  claim 34 , further comprising an adhesive pad, disposed on the drug administration unit, configured to adhere the pad, and thus the drug administration unit, to the user's skin.  
   
   
       38 . A method for administering a drug to a diseased target area of a user's body, comprising the steps of: 
 a) disposing a drug administration unit behind the user's ear, the drug administration unit including a housing sized and configured to substantially fit behind and conform to the user's ear, a drug reservoir containing a drug configured to treat the diseased target area, and a catheter operatively coupled to the drug reservoir;    b) disposing at least a section of the catheter adjacent the diseased target area; and    c) circulating the drug from the drug reservoir, through the catheter to the diseased target area, to maintain a constant concentration of the drug at a the diseased target area.