Retinal LIPUS Therapy for Non-Invasive Dry AMD Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD) are invasive, have high adverse event incidence, or have long treatment cycles with slow efficacy, and there is a lack of effective non-invasive therapies.
Innovation Solution
The use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) to deliver acoustic energy to the retina, with parameters such as intensity of 50-100 mW/cm², duration of 10-20 minutes, and specific frequency settings, to stimulate retinal tissue non-invasively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive treatments such as intravitreal injection are used, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but adverse event incidence increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical injection methods with non-invasive acoustic energy delivery. LIPUS uses low-intensity pulsed ultrasound waves to transmit therapeutic energy through the eye without penetrating the eyeball, substituting the mechanical injection system with an acoustic field-based system that achieves similar therapeutic effects without the harmful side effects of invasive procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic energy as an intermediary medium to deliver therapeutic effects. Instead of directly injecting drugs into the vitreous cavity, the treatment uses LIPUS-generated acoustic waves as a mediator to stimulate retinal cells and promote metabolic activity, thereby achieving treatment effectiveness through a different physical pathway that avoids direct tissue penetration
2Object-affected harmful factors
If oral administration or eye drops are used, then adverse events are reduced, but treatment cycle length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulsed ultrasound delivery with specific parameters (pulse duration, pulse repetition frequency, and duty cycle) to optimize therapeutic effect. The periodic nature of LIPUS allows for cumulative biological effects while maintaining low average intensity, enabling faster action compared to continuous low-dose oral or topical treatments without causing thermal damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes specific LIPUS parameters (frequency: 1-3 MHz, intensity: 20-200 mW/cm², pulse duration: 20-1000 μs) to enhance treatment efficiency. By optimizing these physical parameters, the treatment achieves rapid therapeutic effects that shorten the treatment cycle compared to conventional oral or topical therapies, while maintaining safety through non-invasive energy delivery
3Ease of operation
If LIPUS is used, then non-invasiveness is achieved, but treatment intensity delivery to deep retinal tissue becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic pulsed ultrasound delivery with variable parameters including pulse repetition frequency (1-10 kHz) and duty cycle (10-50%) to optimize energy penetration. The dynamic modulation allows the acoustic energy to penetrate deeper into retinal tissue by utilizing temporal variations in energy delivery, overcoming the attenuation problem while maintaining non-invasive operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses acoustic waves that propagate in three dimensions through the ocular media to reach the retina. By utilizing the volumetric propagation capability of ultrasound compared to surface-level optical or topical treatments, LIPUS can deliver energy directly to deep retinal structures through the transparent ocular media, effectively adding a depth dimension to non-invasive treatment
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
LIPUS effectively reduces retinal deposits, increases retina thickness, improves visual function, reduces apoptotic and senescent cells, and decreases oxidative stress, providing a safe and effective treatment for dAMD.
Implementation Method 1
LIPUS is a specialized type of ultrasound that transmits energy at a low intensity and outputs in the form of pulsed waves. LIPUS is an ultrasound with a special frequency usually of 1 MHz to 3 MHz and a low intensity usually of 20 mW/cm2 to 200 mW/cm2.
Implementation Method 2
LIPUS allows the transmission of acoustic energy to a target tissue with a minimal thermal effect
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is use of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in preparation of a product for treating dry age-related macular degeneration (dAMD), which belongs to the technical field of biomedicine. The present disclosure proposes for the first time that LIPUS can be used to treat the eye disease of dAMD. LIPUS allows for treating dAMD by transmitting acoustic energy to a target tissue. The LIPUS method provided by the present disclosure has the characteristics of non-invasiveness, painlessness, and no side effects.