Spinal Cord Stimulation for Intrathecal Therapeutic Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for delivering therapeutics to brain tissue face challenges, including risks from surgical administration and inefficiencies in indirect methods, with a lack of synergy between spinal cord stimulation and intravenous administration.
Innovation Solution
Applying spinal cord stimulation, particularly in the epidural space, in conjunction with intrathecal administration of therapeutic agents such as exosomes or stem cells, to enhance therapeutic delivery and treatment outcomes for neurological conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If surgical administration is used to deliver therapeutics to brain tissue, then direct delivery to the target is achieved, but risk of contamination and damage to intermediate tissue increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the spinal cord as an intermediary pathway to deliver therapeutics to the brain. Instead of directly accessing the brain through surgery, therapeutics are administered into the spinal cord (intrathecally or intraspinally), which then serves as a conduit for the therapeutics to reach the brain tissue. This mediator approach avoids direct surgical intervention in the brain while achieving the desired therapeutic delivery.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If indirect administration methods are used to deliver therapeutics, then surgical risk is reduced, but therapeutic delivery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spinal cord stimulation before administering the therapeutics to prepare the spinal cord tissue for enhanced uptake and transport. This preliminary action of stimulation increases blood flow and opens transport pathways in the spinal cord, thereby improving the subsequent therapeutic delivery efficiency without requiring direct brain surgery.
3Quantity of substance
If spinal cord stimulation is applied before intrathecal administration, then therapeutic uptake is enhanced, but treatment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic or pulsed spinal cord stimulation delivered through an epidural stimulator before therapeutic administration. This periodic stimulation creates temporary increases in blood flow and transport capacity in the spinal cord at regular intervals, enhancing therapeutic uptake while using a standardized, programmable stimulation protocol that manages treatment complexity.
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 combined approach significantly improves treatment outcomes for neurological conditions by at least 30% compared to individual methods, demonstrating synergistic benefits in therapeutic delivery and efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
application of the stimulation to the portion or portions of the patient's spine increases a flow of blood in the patient's spinal canal
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed for administering a therapeutic agent to a patient and improving therapeutic effects of such agents on a patient. A stimulation is applied to a portion of a patient's spine, and the therapeutic agent is administered to the patient intrathecally and proximal to the portion of the patient's spine. In some embodiments, a second stimulation is applied to the patient at a second portion of the patient's spine and concurrently with administering the therapeutic agent. Concerted stimulation of the patient's spine administering a therapeutic agent synergistically improves treatment outcome.