Methods and apparatus for the CVCS

Abstract

The present invention provides an indirect method and accompanying apparatus for supplying a high concentration of medicaments, particularly antibiotics, to the nasal sinuses by first loading the medicament into the cerebrospinal venous system (CVCS) via a Valsalva manuever. Because the CVCS is a valveless, three-dimensional closed system, traditional physiological dogma such as veins always draining tissues does not always apply. Instead, because in its closed-system blood can flow in any direction, the blood of the CVCS and any medicaments that it contains will be drawn to any portion of it where there is increased outflow, such as the copious venousderived sinus fluid drainage present during nasal allergy or nasal infection. Thus, the very nasal congestion that impedes the effectiveness of direct medicament application, such as seen with nasal inhalers or systemic antibiotics, aids in applying the medicament indirectly to the nasal sinuses via the CVCS. Additionally, the present method has the benefit of delivering medicaments that, unlike present treatment regimens, are not limited solely to those medicaments that can be successfully absorbed from the G.I. tract. This means that, in the case of antibiotics, the bacteria infecting this portion of the CVCS will not be as resistant to treatment if they have not had prior exposure to this new line of antibiotics. Finally, if the infection extends to the eardrums, making the Valsalva maneuver painful, or if the patient is simply unusually sensitive, then earplugs to reduce the stress on the eardrums may be worn while the patient performs the Valsalva maneuver.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority from US Application Serial No. 20020098154, filed July 25, 2002, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0003] The present invention relates to the administration of drugs to the cerebrospinal venous system. The present invention includes an applicator, which may be water- or fat-soluble or both, and the use of a Valsalva maneuver to deposit the drug into the Eustachian tube for subsequent absorption into the cerebrospinal venous system. More specifically, the invention relates to the administration of drugs to parts of the mammalian body that are venously supplied by the cerebrospinal venous system, such as the sinuses, eyes, teeth, brain, and mammalian column. Although other uses involving other drugs are also contemplated, the invention has found particular use in facilitating the administration of drugs (e...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These often repeated but unintentional exposures to bacterial antibiotics eventually produce highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which in turn cause future difficult-to-treat infections

Compounding this difficulty is the fact that the congestion inherent in sinus infections impedes the delivery of blood-borne systemic antibiotics because congestion impairs blood flow to the infected area

Attempts to reduce sinus congestion with steroid sprays to improve penetration of systemic antibiotics are often unsuccessful because steroids also reduce the body's ability to fight infection