Multi-reservoir medical device having protected interior walls

Abstract

An implantable medical device is provided for controlled delivery or exposure of reservoir contents. The device may include a substrate; a plurality of discrete reservoirs in the substrate, wherein the reservoirs have interior walls and at least one opening in the substrate; reservoir contents disposed in the reservoirs; a reservoir cap closing the at least one opening of each of the reservoirs to seal the reservoir contents in each of the reservoirs; and control circuitry for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps to release or expose the reservoir contents in vivo, wherein the interior walls of the reservoirs comprise a material to protect the substrate in vivo. For example, to enhance the resistance of the substrate to etching in vivo, the interior sidewalls of the reservoirs may include a protective coating (such as gold, platinum, carbon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, or platinum silicide), or the sidewalls may include a doped silicon.

1 . An implantable medical device for the controlled delivery or exposure of reservoir contents comprising:
 a substrate;   a plurality of discrete reservoirs in the substrate, wherein the reservoirs have interior walls and at least one opening in the substrate;   reservoir contents disposed in the reservoirs;   a reservoir cap closing the at least one opening of each of the reservoirs to seal the reservoir contents in each of the reservoirs; and   control circuitry for selectively disintegrating the reservoir caps to release or expose the reservoir contents in vivo,   wherein the interior walls of the reservoirs comprise a material to protect the substrate in vivo.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the interior walls have at least one protective layer of the material coated thereon. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the protective layer comprises gold, platinum, diamond-like carbon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, or platinum silicide. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the interior walls comprise silicon doped with a dopant to enhance the resistance of the silicon to etching in vivo. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the silicon is doped with boron. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a silicon wafer. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a polymer. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoirs are micro-reservoirs. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir contents comprise a drug. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir contents comprise a sensor or sensor component.