Apparatus and method for administering a therapeutic agent into tissue

Abstract

An apparatus for administering a therapeutic is provided. In various embodiments, the apparatus includes a syringe having a barrel and a plunger and having an ozone generator associated therewith. The generator is initiated and a therapeutic gas is accumulated within the barrel, at which point it can be delivered from the barrel into a target site via a needle, thereby delivering therapeutic effects to that target site.

1 . An ozone generator for producing therapeutic oxygen-ozone mixture, said generator comprising:
 a corona discharge device, wherein said corona discharge device is configured to communicate with an accumulator;   a power source and electronics to generate and deliver an electrical signal to the corona discharge device thereby creating an electrical field in an interior of the corona discharge device; and   wherein the corona discharge device is configured to allow an oxygen-containing gas to pass through the electrical field such that the oxygen interacts with the electrical field to create ozone.   
     
     
         2 . The generator of  claim 1 , wherein the power source comprises an on-off switch. 
     
     
         3 . The generator of  claim 1 , wherein the corona discharge device comprises a dielectric and an electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The generator of  claim 1 , wherein the frequency of said electrical signal is between about one tenth of a kilohertz and about one thousand kilohertz. 
     
     
         5 . The generator of  claim 4 , wherein the frequency of said electrical signal is between about twenty kilohertz and about sixty kilohertz. 
     
     
         6 . The generator of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage of said electrical signal is between about one kilovolt and twenty kilovolts. 
     
     
         7 . The generator of  claim 6 , wherein the voltage of said electrical signal is between about three kilovolts and about six kilovolts. 
     
     
         8 . The generator of  claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to operate at a temperature ranging between about 15° C. and about 30° C. 
     
     
         9 . The generator of  claim 8 , wherein the generator is configured to operate at a temperature ranging between about 20° C. and about 25° C. 
     
     
         10 . The generator of  claim 1 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about five to about one-hundred. 
     
     
         11 . The generator of  claim 10 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about twelve to about forty. 
     
     
         12 . The generator of  claim 11 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen of about twenty. 
     
     
         13 . An ozone generator for producing therapeutic oxygen-ozone mixture, wherein:
 said generator comprises:
 a vessel configured to house an ozonated gel, wherein said vessel is configured to communicate with an accumulator; 
 a heating element in communication with said vessel; 
 a power supply in electrical communication with the heating element; and 
 wherein the heating element is configured to elevate a temperature of the vessel allowing the desorption of ozone-oxygen mixture from a gel that may be disposed within the vessel. 
   
     
     
         14 . The generator of  claim 13 , wherein the heating element surrounds the periphery of the vessel. 
     
     
         15 . The generator of  claim 13 , wherein the vessel has an open end for receiving an ozonated gel. 
     
     
         16 . The generator of  claim 15 , wherein a porous membrane is configured to cover the open end. 
     
     
         17 . The generator of  claim 16 , wherein the membrane is one of glass or porous ceramic. 
     
     
         18 . The generator of  claim 16 , wherein the membrane is gas permeable, but not liquid permeable. 
     
     
         19 . The generator of  claim 13 , wherein the power supply comprises an on-off switch. 
     
     
         20 . The generator of  claim 13 , further comprising an ozonated gel stored within the housing. 
     
     
         21 . The generator of  claim 20 , wherein said gel is formed by sparging ozone through olive oil and then chilling the olive oil. 
     
     
         22 . The generator of  claim 21 , wherein said ozone is in gaseous form. 
     
     
         23 . The generator of  claim 21 , wherein the olive oil is chilled to a temperature between about minus fifteen ° C. and about ten ° C. 
     
     
         24 . The generator of  claim 23 , wherein the olive oil is chilled to a temperature between about zero ° C. and about five ° C. 
     
     
         25 . The generator of  claim 20 , wherein the gel is heated at a temperature between about twenty ° C. and about eighty ° C. 
     
     
         26 . The generator of  claim 25 , wherein the gel is heated at a temperature between about thirty ° C. and about fifty ° C. 
     
     
         27 . The generator of  claim 26 , wherein the gel is heated at a temperature of about thirty-seven ° C. 
     
     
         28 . The generator of  claim 20 , wherein the gel comprises at least one of triacylglycerols or triglycerides. 
     
     
         29 . The generator of  claim 20 , wherein the ratio of olive oil to ozone in milligrams of ozone to gram of oil is between about 0.5 and about 1.5. 
     
     
         30 . The generator of  claim 29 , wherein the ratio of olive oil to ozone in milligrams of ozone to gram of oil is between about 0.7 to about 1.2. 
     
     
         31 . The generator of  claim 30 , wherein the ratio of olive oil to ozone in milligrams of ozone to gram of oil is about one. 
     
     
         32 . The generator of  claim 13 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about five to about one-hundred. 
     
     
         33 . The generator of  claim 32 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about twelve to about forty. 
     
     
         34 . The generator of  claim 33 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen of about twenty. 
     
     
         35 . An ozone generator for producing therapeutic oxygen-ozone mixture, wherein:
 said generator comprises:
 an ultraviolet light source configured to communicate with an accumulator; 
 a power supply in electrical communication with the ultraviolet light source; and 
 wherein the ultraviolet light source is configured to irradiate oxygen that may be contained within the accumulator. 
   
     
     
         36 . The generator of  claim 35 , wherein a wavelength of light generated by the ultraviolet light source ranges between about 100 nm and about 700 nm. 
     
     
         37 . The generator of  claim 36 , wherein a wavelength of light generated by the ultraviolet light source ranges between about 140 nm and about 200 nm. 
     
     
         38 . The generator of  claim 35 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about five to about one-hundred. 
     
     
         39 . The generator of  claim 38 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about twelve to about forty. 
     
     
         40 . The generator of  claim 39 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen of about twenty. 
     
     
         41 . An ozone generator for producing therapeutic oxygen-ozone mixture, wherein:
 said generator comprises:
 an electrochemical cell configured to communicate with an accumulator, said electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode; 
 a power supply in electrical communication with the anode and the cathode; and 
 wherein the power supply is configured to create an electric current between the anode and the cathode such that water that may be in the electrochemical cell electrolyzes to produce ozone and oxygen at the anode. 
   
     
     
         42 . The generator of  claim 41 , wherein the power supply generates a voltage of between about three volts and about twenty volts. 
     
     
         43 . The generator of  claim 42 , wherein the power supply generates a voltage of between about two volts and about ten volts. 
     
     
         44 . The generator of  claim 41 , wherein the generator is configured to operate at a temperature ranging between about 5° C. and about 50° C. 
     
     
         45 . The generator of  claim 44 , wherein the generator is configured to operate at a temperature ranging between about 15° C. and about 30° C. 
     
     
         46 . The generator of  claim 41 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about five to about one-hundred. 
     
     
         47 . The generator of  claim 46 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen, wherein the ratio ranges from about twelve to about forty. 
     
     
         48 . The generator of  claim 47 , wherein the generator is configured to create a ratio of micrograms of ozone to cubic centimeters of oxygen of about twenty.