Apparatus and system 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 . A syringe comprising:
 a barrel;   a plunger for insertion into a first end of said barrel, the syringe configured to deliver a gaseous therapeutic agent comprising ozone from a second end of said barrel;   a corona discharge generator comprising a dielectric and at least one electrode, wherein said electrode is directly attached to one of said plunger and said barrel, said corona discharge generator configured to produce said gaseous therapeutic agent;   an accumulator chamber defined within said barrel;   said accumulator chamber having an accumulation configuration, wherein the accumulation chamber is in communication with said corona discharge generator for accumulating said therapeutic agent, and a delivery configuration, wherein a desired level of therapeutic agent can be delivered from said accumulation chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein said therapeutic agent is an oxygen-ozone mixture at concentrations ranging from about 0 to about 10 weight percent ozone with a balance of high purity oxygen. 
     
     
         3 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein said accumulator chamber is an interior space within said barrel and said accumulator chamber contains oxygen. 
     
     
         4 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein said plunger includes a power supply connected to said generator, said power supply for delivering a varying electrical signal to said generator. 
     
     
         5 . The syringe of  claim 4  further including a switch intermediate said power supply and said generator for selectively activating and deactivating said generator. 
     
     
         6 . The syringe of  claim 4  wherein a frequency of said signal is between about one-tenth of a kilohertz (“kHz”) and about one thousand kHz. 
     
     
         7 . The syringe of  claim 4  wherein a frequency of said signal is between about thirty kHz and about sixty kHz. 
     
     
         8 . The syringe of  claim 4  wherein a voltage of said electrical signal is between about one kilovolt and about twenty kilovolts. 
     
     
         9 . The syringe of  claim 4  wherein a voltage of said electrical signal is between about three kilovolts and about six kilovolts. 
     
     
         10 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein said syringe is sterilized. 
     
     
         11 . The syringe of  claim 4  wherein an ambient temperature of said oxygen is between about ten ° C. and about forty ° C. 
     
     
         12 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein the syringe is disposable. 
     
     
         13 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein the gaseous therapeutic agent comprises an oxidizing gas. 
     
     
         14 . The syringe of  claim 13  wherein the oxidizing gas comprises at least one of oxygen (O 2 ); a mixture containing oxygen plus ozone (O 3 ); oxygen radicals; hydroxyl radicals; ionic oxygen; oxygen treated with energy; and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The syringe of  claim 1  wherein the gaseous therapeutic agent comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         16 . The syringe of  claim 15  wherein the inert gas comprise at least one of nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, and/or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The syringe of  claim 1 , further comprising conducting elements forming an electrical connection between said power supply and said one or more electrode. 
     
     
         18 . The syringe of  claim 1 , further comprising conducting elements forming an electrical connection between said power supply and said dielectric. 
     
     
         19 . An ozone generating system comprising:
 a power source;   a generator for producing a gaseous therapeutic agent, said generator comprising:
 at least one electrode; 
 a dielectric; and 
 at least one conducting element, wherein said dielectric and at least one electrode are in electrical connection to the power source through said at least one conducting element; and 
   a syringe in direct physical contact with said generator, said syringe comprising:   a barrel; and   a plunger for insertion into said barrel, said barrel and said plunger defining an accumulator chamber for holding said agent;   wherein said accumulator chamber comprises an accumulation configuration in communication with said generator for accumulating said agent, said accumulator chamber also comprising a delivery configuration wherein said accumulator chamber is in communication with an outlet, said delivery configuration for delivery of said agent from said outlet when a desired level of agent has been generated in said accumulator chamber.   
     
     
         20 . The ozone generating system of  claim 19 , wherein said power supply is located external to the syringe. 
     
     
         21 . The ozone generating system of  claim 19 , wherein said power supply is connectable to the syringe at the time of ozone generation. 
     
     
         22 . The ozone generating system of  claim 19 , further comprising a conducting element forming an electrical connection between said power supply and said at least one electrode. 
     
     
         23 . The ozone generating system of  claim 19 , further comprising a conducting element forming an electrical connection between said power supply and said dielectric. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for containing a gaseous therapeutic agent, the apparatus comprising:
 a vessel to form a chamber for enclosing a volume of oxygen; and   a corona discharge device with at least one electrode enclosed within the vessel, wherein the corona discharge device is configured to generate ozone from at least a portion of the oxygen enclosed within the chamber.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the vessel is sterilized. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the vessel comprises:
 a barrel of a syringe; and   a plunger engaged within a first end of the barrel, wherein a second end of the barrel is configured to deliver the gaseous therapeutic agent.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the corona discharge device is configured to connect to a power supply, wherein the power supply is configured to supply an electrical signal to the corona discharge device. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the power supply is located external to the apparatus. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein the power supply is connectable to the corona discharge device at the time of ozone generation. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a conducting element forming an electrical connection between the power supply and the at least one electrode of the corona discharge device. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , further comprising a conducting element forming an electrical connection between the power supply and a dielectric of the corona discharge device.