MEMS Pump Punctal Plug for Precise Ocular Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional eye drop administration for ocular drug delivery is inefficient and unreliable, leading to significant drug loss and systemic side effects due to overflow and dilution, and patients often have difficulty adhering to treatment regimens, especially for conditions like dry eye.
Innovation Solution
A punctal plug incorporating a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) pump and reservoir that actively delivers therapeutic agents into the eye, allowing for precise, pulsatile dosing and overcoming passive drug release limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If eye drops are instilled in the eye, then the conjunctival sac becomes overfilled, but a substantial portion of the drop is lost due to overflow onto the cheek
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drug delivery function from the conventional eye drop method by using a punctal plug device that delivers drug directly to the eye surface through the punctum, bypassing the conjunctival sac overflow problem entirely
Solution Approach 2:
The punctal plug acts as an intermediary device between the drug reservoir and the eye, providing controlled delivery through the tear drainage system and preventing both overflow loss and systemic absorption
2Duration of action of moving object
If eye drops remain on the ocular surface, then they provide continuous presence, but they are washed away by tears into the tear drainage system, diluting the drug concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The punctal plug is inserted beforehand to block the punctum opening, preventing tears from washing away the drug before it can be absorbed, thereby maintaining both concentration and residence time
Solution Approach 2:
The punctal plug serves as a mediator that controls tear flow and drug delivery timing, allowing the drug to remain on the ocular surface long enough for absorption without being diluted by excessive tear wash
3Quantity of substance
If excess drug is carried into the nose and throat, then it reaches the general circulation, but this causes serious systemic side effects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the drug delivery pathway to bypass the nose and throat entirely by delivering drug directly to the eye through the punctum, eliminating the route that leads to systemic side effects
Solution Approach 2:
The punctal plug acts as a mediator that controls drug delivery location and timing, ensuring drug enters the eye through the punctum rather than being carried into the nose and throat where it would be absorbed systemically
4Quantity of substance
If punctal plugs are used for sustained release, then they block tear drainage, but they require active pumping mechanism for precise dosing control
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex mechanical active pumping mechanisms with a simpler passive elution system that uses the natural concentration gradient between the reservoir and the eye to achieve sustained release, eliminating the need for complex pumps while maintaining dosing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The punctal plug with reservoir is designed to self-regulate drug release through passive elution driven by concentration gradients, eliminating the need for external power sources or complex control mechanisms while providing sustained release functionality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The MEMS pump enables efficient, precise delivery of small drug quantities directly to the eye, reducing systemic side effects and improving compliance by providing controlled, on-demand dosing, with the ability to deliver doses in less than ten minutes and replaceable when empty.
Implementation Method 1
a microelectromechanical pump and reservoir positioned within the cavity of the punctal plug, the microelectromechanical pump being configured to deliver at least one therapeutic dosage of an active agent contained in the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
A punctal plug or lacrimal insert comprising a microelectromechanical system pump and associated reservoir may be utilized to deliver precise dosages of an active agent into the eye though the tear film. The microelectromechanical system pump comprises four main components; namely, a reservoir, a pump, a series of valves and a vent. The microelectromechanical system pump is positioned within a cavity in the punctal plug. The microelectromechanical system pump is positioned with a cavity in the punctal plug.