Wireless Iontophoresis Patch Depolarization Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional iontophoresis methods face challenges such as skin polarization, leading to reduced drug delivery effectiveness, and can cause skin injuries due to increased voltage and air bubbles in gels, which result in burns and a short shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A wireless iontophoresis system with a depolarizer electrode and a controller that generates therapeutic and depolarizing electrical pulses, along with a negative pressure source to remove air from reservoirs, ensuring effective drug delivery without skin irritation and using powdered agents like citric acid to enhance transdermal passage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the voltage of the electrical stimulation is increased to overcome skin polarization, then the effectiveness of drug delivery is improved, but skin injury and burns occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic alternation between iontophoresis mode (for drug delivery) and depolarization mode (to neutralize skin polarization). The controller switches between these modes in a cyclic manner, allowing the skin to be periodically repolarized without continuous high voltage application, thus preventing burns while maintaining delivery effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuous effective action by seamlessly transitioning between iontophoresis and depolarization cycles. The depolarization phase prepares the skin for the next iontophoresis phase, ensuring uninterrupted drug delivery capability while preventing accumulation of harmful polarization effects
2Ease of operation
If gels are used as the conductive medium, then iontophoresis can be performed, but air bubbles trap reduces contact area and causes burns, and shelf life is short
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state of the conductive medium from gel to liquid. The liquid conductive medium flows to fill all contact areas between the electrode and skin, eliminating air bubble traps that occur with gels. This parameter change (from gel to liquid) maintains iontophoresis capability while improving reliability and shelf life
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 system effectively depolarizes the skin, reducing voltage requirements, minimizing skin irritation and burns, and providing a longer shelf life for medications by using powdered agents, while ensuring accurate medication delivery and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a negative pressure source configured to remove air from the first reservoir
Implementation Method 2
the skin's physical reaction to the electrical stimulation of iontophoresis electrode is to polarize the skin with the like-charge to the direct electric current
Implementation Method 3
Iontophoresis is a process that utilizes direct electrical current to drive ionized chemical agents through the intact skin
Data Source
AI summary
An iontophoresis system for positioning against skin of a subject is disclosed. The iontophoresis system can comprise at least one vessel having a solvent therein. An anode apparatus can couple to the at least one vessel. The anode apparatus can comprise a first reservoir configured to receive the solvent from the at least one vessel so that, when received into the first reservoir, the solvent makes contact with the skin of the subject, and a first electrode positioned above the first reservoir. A cathode apparatus can couple to the at least one vessel. The cathode apparatus can comprise a second reservoir configured to receive the solvent from the at least one vessel so that, when received into the first reservoir, the solvent makes contact with the skin of the subject, and a second electrode positioned above the second reservoir.