Botulinum toxin syringe

Abstract

The syringe for botulinum toxin with an outer cylinder has volume graduations marked with 4 units as 0.1 mL. These volume graduations facilitate unit conversion and can reduce the possibility of over - dosing or under - dosing of botulinum toxin. This syringe may further include additional volume graduations configured to be interchangeably used for the administration of insulin or botulinum toxin. This syringe may further include additional volume graduations configured to be interchangeably used for the administration of different types of botulinum toxin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a type of syringe for administering botulinum toxin.

Background Art

[0002] Insulin syringes are commonly used in the cosmetic industry for injecting botulinum toxin due to their availability and size. One common type of insulin syringe is the BD Ultra-Fine II (trademark) needle syringe.

[0003] Insulin syringes are marked with unit-specific volume graduations based on biological activity units.

[0004] The standard and most commonly used concentration of insulin is U-100, which contains 100 units of insulin in 1 mL of liquid.

[0005] Insulin syringes are manufactured in scales of 30 units (0.3 mL), as shown in FIG. 1. However, scales of 50 units (0.5 mL) and 100 units (1.0 mL) are also available.

[0006] The size of the syringe required also varies depending on the required dose of insulin. For example, a 10-unit dose is easier to administer using a 30-unit syringe than a 50-unit syringe.

[0007] All commercially available doses of botulinum toxin are also expressed in biological activity units. One unit of botulinum toxin corresponds to the median of the calculated intraperitoneal lethal dose (LD 50 ) in female Swiss Webster mice.

[0008] Insulin syringes are commonly used for administering botulinum toxin. However, since the unit volume scales of insulin and botulinum toxin are not compatible, it is necessary to convert insulin units to botulinum toxin units in the mind when administering botulinum toxin using an insulin syringe.

[0009] For example, to inject 2 units of botulinum toxin, rather than intuitively, the markings of a 5-unit increment insulin syringe are required. Correction of smaller volumes can be done more easily by counting from the end of the outer barrel, but conversion in the mind for larger volumes becomes difficult. For example, to inject 10 units of botulinum toxin, rather than intuitively, the markings of a 25-unit increment insulin syringe are required.

[0010] Conversion between units becomes even more difficult. As shown in FIG. 1, since a 30-unit insulin syringe has markings in 5-unit increments, it is quite difficult, for example, to administer 9 units of botulinum toxin.

[0011] Errors in unit conversion can lead to underdosing or overdosing of botulinum toxin, resulting in undesirable consequences.

[0012] The present invention aims to overcome or significantly improve at least some of the drawbacks of the prior art, or to provide at least an alternative means.

[0013] It should be understood that when information regarding the prior art is referred to in this specification, this reference does not admit that such information constitutes part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in other countries. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] This specification provides a syringe for botulinum toxin comprising a volumetrically graduated outer barrel graduated at 4 units per 0.1 mL, thereby avoiding the aforementioned difficulties in unit conversion and significantly reducing the possibility of overdosing or underdosing of botulinum toxin.

[0015] The syringe may further comprise an additional volumetrically graduated outer barrel configured for interchangeable use for the administration of insulin or botulinum toxin.

[0016] In a further embodiment, the syringe may further comprise additional volume graduations configured to be interchangeably used for the administration of different types of botulinum toxin.

[0017] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. Notwithstanding other forms that may fall within the scope of the present invention, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]

Figure 1

Figure 2

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a botulinum toxin syringe 100 comprising a transparent outer barrel 103 within which a plunger 101 operates. A needle 104 extends from the distal end of the outer barrel. The needle 104 is preferably a 32G 8mm needle.

[0020] The outer barrel 103 comprises a volume graduation 102.

[0021] The volume graduation 102 comprises graduations 105 graduated at 4 units per 0.1 mL. For example, 12 units corresponds to approximately 0.3 mL as shown.

[0022] In some embodiments, a larger syringe 100 may be provided having a maximum volume graduation unit of 20, corresponding to 0.5 mL. In a further embodiment, an even larger syringe 100 may be provided having a maximum volume graduation of 40, corresponding to 1 mL.

[0023] The graduations 105 may increase in increments of two. In the illustrated embodiment, the volume graduations 105 increase in increments of two, with no other graduations in between.

[0024] The maximum graduation 105 is between 8 and 16, thereby providing a scale of a size suitable for a typical dose of botulinum toxin. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the maximum graduation 105 can be 12.

[0025] In use, the syringe 100 can be used to inject multiple units of botulinum toxin according to the graduations 105.

[0026] In some embodiments, the syringe 100 further comprises a volume graduation 102 graduated at 10 units per 0.1 mL for insulin units, whereby the syringe 100 may be used interchangeably for insulin or botulinum toxin.

[0027] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the volume graduation 102 is designed for botulinum toxin at a particular dilution. However, FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment in which the botulinum toxin syringe 100 comprises an additional volume graduation 102A having different graduations 105 for use with botulinum toxin at different dilutions.

[0028] Preferably, the additional volume graduation 102 has graduations 105 graduated at 20 units as 0.1 mL.

[0029] Specifically, the additional volume graduation is graduated in 10 - unit increments, with graduations 105 from 10 to 60, and the 60 - unit graduation 105 corresponds to a volume of 0.3 mL.

[0030] Preferably, the graduations 105 of both volume graduations 102, 102A are aligned. For example, the 2 - unit graduation 105 of the volume graduation 102 is aligned with the 10 - unit graduation 105 of the volume graduation 102A, and so on.

[0031] Accordingly, the syringe of FIG. 3 can conveniently use botulinum toxin having a concentration of 12 units in 0.3 mL, or another botulinum toxin having a concentration of 60 units in 0.3 mL. Depending on the type of botulinum toxin used, an appropriate volume scale 102 or 102A can be selected and used.

[0032] The foregoing description has used specific nomenclature for purposes of explanation to provide a complete understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required to practice the present invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description of specific embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. These are not intended to be exhaustive, nor are they intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and many modifications and variations will be apparent in light of the above teachings. The embodiments have been chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments with various modifications suited to the particular use contemplated. The following claims and their equivalents are intended to define the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A botulinum toxin syringe comprising an outer cylinder with volume graduations marked at 4 units per 0.1 mL.

2. The syringe according to claim 1, wherein the volume graduations increase by 2 each.

3. The syringe according to claim 1, wherein the increment of the volume graduations is 2 each, and there are no other graduations in between.

4. The syringe according to claim 1, wherein the maximum volume graduation is between 8 and 16.

5. The syringe according to claim 4, wherein the maximum volume graduation is 12 corresponding to 0.3 mL.

6. The syringe according to claim 1, wherein the maximum volume graduation is 20 corresponding to 0.5 mL.

7. The syringe according to claim 1, wherein the maximum volume graduation is 40 corresponding to 1 mL.

8. The syringe according to claim 1, further comprising an additional volume graduation marked at 10 units per 0.1 mL.

9. The syringe according to claim 1, further comprising an additional volume graduation with different graduations.

10. The syringe according to claim 9, wherein the additional volume graduation is graduated with 20 units as 0.1 mL.

11. The syringe according to claim 10, wherein the additional volume graduation is graduated in 10-unit increments.

12. The syringe according to claim 11, wherein the additional volume graduation is graduated from 10 to 60.

13. The syringe according to claim 12, wherein the additional volume graduation has a graduation of 60 units corresponding to 0.3 mL.

14. The syringe according to claim 9, wherein the graduations of the volume graduation and the additional volume graduation are aligned.

15. The syringe according to claim 14, wherein the 2-unit graduation of the volume graduation is aligned with the 10-unit graduation of the volume graduation.

16. A method of injecting botulinum toxin using the syringe according to claim 1, comprising injecting a plurality of units of botulinum toxin according to the graduations, wherein the graduations are marked with 4 units as 0.1 mL.

17. A method of injecting botulinum toxin or insulin using the syringe according to claim 8, comprising selecting the volume graduation or the additional volume graduation to be used according to whether botulinum toxin or insulin is administered.

18. A method for injecting botulinum toxin using the syringe according to claim 9, comprising selecting the volume scale or the additional volume scale to be used according to the type of botulinum toxin administered using the syringe.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the volume scale is graduated such that 4 units are 0.1 mL and the additional volume scale is graduated such that 20 units are 0.1 mL.

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