Anesthesia Reversal Agents for Predictable Awakening

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current clinical practices for emerging from general anesthesia are passive and unpredictable, leading to increased risk of complications such as laryngospasm, respiratory depression, and delirium, and result in inefficient use of operating room time due to the lack of agents that actively reverse general anesthetic-induced unconsciousness.

Innovation Solution

The use of anesthesia-reversing agents like methylphenidate, amphetamine, modafinil, amantadine, and caffeine to actively facilitate emergence from general anesthesia by reducing the effects of anesthetic agents, thereby accelerating recovery and reducing delirium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If general anesthesia is administered to induce unconsciousness during surgery, then the patient experiences loss of consciousness and pain relief, but the emergence from anesthesia becomes a slow passive process with unpredictable timing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepredictability of emergence timingVSAvoidtime to emerge from anesthesia

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by administering a reversal agent (such as a cholinesterase inhibitor or other pharmacological agent) before the anesthetic effect completely wears off. This pre-administered agent actively counteracts the anesthetic drugs' effects on the brain and central nervous system, preventing the slow passive emergence process and achieving predictable, controlled awakening timing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary substance (reversal agent) that mediates between the anesthetic drugs and the patient's consciousness. This intermediary agent binds to or interacts with the anesthetic molecules or their receptors, accelerating their elimination or blocking their effects, thereby enabling controlled and predictable emergence from anesthesia.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If general anesthesia is discontinued and no reversal agents are administered, then the anesthetic effects wear off passively, but patients are highly susceptible to complications such as laryngospasm, respiratory depression, and delirium

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomplications during emergenceVSAvoidpharmacological intervention complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by administering reversal agents that preemptively counteract the harmful effects of anesthetic withdrawal. These agents are given before complications can develop, actively preventing laryngospasm, respiratory depression, and delirium by maintaining neural function during the transition from anesthetized to awake state.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses beforehand cushioning by providing pharmacological protection during the vulnerable emergence period. The reversal agent acts as a protective cushion that buffers the patient against the abrupt effects of anesthetic discontinuation, smoothing the transition and preventing severe complications while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Productivity

If no active reversal agents are available, then operating room time is squandered waiting for patients to recover consciousness, but introducing new agents increases pharmacological complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperating room efficiencyVSAvoidpharmacological management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs an intermediary reversal agent that bridges the gap between anesthetic administration and patient awakening. This mediator substance accelerates the emergence process by actively counteracting anesthetic effects, thereby reducing operating room downtime and improving productivity without requiring complex procedural changes, only controlled pharmacological intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11723589B2Reversal of general anesthesia by administration of methylphenidate, amphetamine, modafinil, amantadine, and/or caffeine

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 THE GENERAL HOSPITAL CORP

AI summary

The present invention generally relates to compositions comprising anesthesia-reversing agents which facilitate or increase the time of awakening or reverse the effects of general anesthesia-induced unconsciousness. In some embodiments, the anesthesia reversing agent can be selected from any or a combination of methylphenidate (MPH), amphetamine, modafinil, amantadine, caffeine, or analogues or derivatives thereof. In some embodiments, compositions comprising at least one or more anesthesia-reversing agents can be used to facilitate awakening from anesthesia without or decreasing occurrence of delirium, and can be used in methods to treat or prevent the symptoms associated with emergence delirium, as well as treat a subject oversedated with general anesthesia. The invention also relates to methods for administering these compositions comprising anesthesia-reversing agents to subjects and for use.