Treating conditions caused by abnormal growth of pathogens in body cavities

Abstract

A cooling device and method inhibit the infectious growth of pathogens in a body cavity, primarily to cure VulvoVaginal Candidiasis (VVC) and Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) in the vagina, and to reduce biofilms. The device has a shell having an internal chamber containing a freezable or cooling filler that reduces the body cavity temperature. The device may be comprised of an optional coating compound (agent) covering at least a portion of an outer surface of the shell and an optional stainless steel sleeve that covers the shell or optional stainless steel particles that are impregnated into the shell material to enhance both thermal conductance and cooling efficacy. Pathogenic biofilms dissolve and bacteria colony counts decrease at lowered temperatures in body cavities, and infectious, temperature sensitive organisms (fungi, yeast, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and protozoans) become dormant, change morphology, or cease growing under the same lowered body cavity temperatures.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14 / 059,843, filed on 22 Oct. 2013, which is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of priority from, U.S. Ser. No. 13 / 637,496, filed on 26 Sep. 2012, which in turn is a national stage entry of PCT / US11 / 30052, which was filed on 25 Mar. 2011, which in turn is a non-provisional designating the US of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 318,338, filed on 28 Mar. 2010, which is now expired. Each of the cited applications is incorporated by reference as if fully recited herein.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to a device and method for treating conditions in a body cavity caused by an overgrowth of normal flora, including Candida yeast species and certain bacteria, and / or the presence of pathogens, such as ‘filamentous’Candida yeast species, viruses, bacteria and protozoans. The invention is a cooling or temperature reducing treatment device to cure vaginal ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020]The present invention is a cooling device, with an optional compound delivery or retention function for body cavities to force Candida species and other potential temperature sensitive pathogens into the dormant, non-disease state, to reduce an overgrowth situation, and to disrupt biofilms. Cooling of a body cavity to temperatures of less than 30 C causes the disintegration of biofilms which are contributors to the disease state of VVC, BV, and other pathological conditions of the body cavity. The device is useful to treat problems such as VVC, an infection of the vagina caused by the filamentous growth of Candida species, chemical dermatitis of the vagina and vulva, BV, an overgrowth of gram negative, anaerobic bacteria (previously defined as BV), and any associated biofilm mediated conditions. The device may have similar utility for other temperature sensitive pathogens of the vagina, such as trichomonas and herpes, or for other body cavities. The present invention inhibits or reverses pathological ‘filamentous’ fungal (Candida species), may prevent or treat other microbial infections such as BV, parasitic, protozoan, and viral infections while reducing biofilm formation simultaneously. The present invention's coating compound may be pH neutralizing, pH acidifying, may contain inactive ingredients, may contain anti-inflammatory such as aloe, anti-oxidant compounds, hormones, steroids, non-steroidal agents, herbs, anti-septics such as H2O2, lactic acid, anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, anti-protozoan, electromagnetic, natural stabilizing agents or artificial preservatives, oils, vitamins, or minerals as components of the coating compound housed in a gel, emulsion, powder, particles, creams, or emulsions or be impregnated into the shell of the device.

[0021]The invention addresses the optional application of a coating compound, medication, or topical chemical as described above, which aids in curing the infection the body cavity, such that in conjunction with the cooling component which disrupts biofilms and reverses infectious morphologies, helps the coating compound to be more effective, at lower dosages and with less duration of exposure, allowing the normal host mechanisms to heal and repair the tissue faster, and to reduce the severity of the symptoms, such as itching, burning, swelling, and pain. The normal inhabitants of the vagina (lactobacillus) can repopulate more quickly, ensuring a normal pH and healthy ecosystem of the body cavity.

[0022]The device, comprising a shell, with or without a removal means (string or loop, for example) whereas the expulsion of the device can be accomplishe

Problems solved by technology

In fact, it is the loss of nutrients, possibly as a result of lactobacillus (the ‘good’ bacteria) destruction from antibiotic exposure (lowering pH) that can cause yeast to ‘morph’ into their more virulent ‘fila

Images