Potential driven electrochemical modification of tissue

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10939950-B2
Application number	US-201715841213-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	May 16, 2013
Publication date	Mar 9, 2021
Grant date	Mar 9, 2021

Abstract

A method of modifying a tissue includes providing an electrochemical reaction in the tissue by the use of an anodic electrode and a cathodic electrode wherein at least one of the anodic and cathodic electrodes is in contact with the tissue; and setting a concentration of electrochemically generated chemical agents that affect the tissue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a disease and/or condition in a subject, comprising:
creating stress in a tissue of the subject to temporarily maintain a predetermined shape of the tissue;
providing an electrochemical interaction in a constituent of the tissue;
wherein providing the electrochemical interaction includes use of a working electrode, a reference electrode, and an auxiliary electrode; and wherein the electrodes are placed in a geometric arrangement effective for treating the disease and/or condition in the subject;
wherein at least the working electrode is in contact with the tissue;
acidifying the tissue to a pH range between 0-7 by acidification at the working electrode and subsequent diffusion of protons to the tissue;
diffusing protons through the tissue; and
re-equilibration of the tissue to physiological pH for sustained shape change of the tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue is at least one of ligament, tendon, cornea, ear drum, temporal mandibular joint, vocal cord, muscle, skin, nerve, brain tissue, and tumor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue is at least one of cartilage and bone.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the electrochemical interaction includes at least one of potential-driven electromechanical (EMR) and potential-driven electrochemical modification of tissue (PDEMT).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a rabbit.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing the electrochemical interaction includes using a system having the working electrode, the reference electrode, and the auxiliary electrode; and a control system to apply a precise electrical potential to the tissue.

8. A method of shaping cartilage in a patient, comprising:
creating stress in the cartilage to temporarily maintain a predetermined shape of the cartilage;
providing at least one of a potential-driven electrochemical modification of tissue (PDEMT) device and a potential-driven electromechanical (EMR) device, wherein each device includes a working electrode, a reference electrode, and an auxiliary electrode, wherein the working electrode is in contact with the cartilage; and
acidifying the cartilage to a pH range between 0-7 by acidification at the working electrode and subsequent diffusion of protons to the cartilage;
using at least one of the PDEMT and EMR devices to shape the cartilage in the patient; and
re-equilibrating the cartilage to physiological pH to sustain a predetermined shape of the cartilage.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein shaping the cartilage includes at least one of shaping a facial structure, lengthening and/or tightening ligaments and tendons, and correcting vision in the patient.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising placing the PDEMT device or the EMR device in contact with the cartilage in a way to minimize pH gradients and/or Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating at least one of pH gradients and concentration gradients of added chemical agents in the cartilage by applying an electrochemical potential via pulsed or a custom waveform.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the PDEMT device or EMR device incorporates bipotentiostat and/or polypotentiostat technology.

13. A method of treating a cartilage malformation condition in a patient, comprising:
creating stress in the cartilage to temporarily maintain a predetermined shape of the cartilage;
providing a potential-driven electrochemical modification of tissue (PDEMT) device and a potential-driven electromechanical (EMR) device, wherein each device includes an anodic electrode and a cathodic electrode, wherein at least the anodic electrode is in contact with the cartilage; and
acidifying the cartilage to a pH range between 0-7 by acidification at the anodic electrode and subsequent diffusion of protons to the cartilage;
treating the patient by using at least one of the devices to shape the cartilage; and
re-equilibrating the cartilage to physiological pH to sustain a predetermined shape of the cartilage.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the cartilage malformation condition is at least one of a nasal tip deformity, a deviated septum, a protuberant ear, and a stenotic trachea.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the PDEMT device and the EMR device incorporates bipotentiostat and/or polypotentiostat technology.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein shaping the cartilage includes shaping cartilage in at least one of facial structure, lengthening and/or tightening ligaments and tendons, and correcting vision in the patient.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Wong Brian Jet-Fei
• Hill Michael G
• Protsenko Dmitry E
• Hunter Bryan M

Classifications

• A61N1/0502

  Skin piercing electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/328

  for improving the appearance of the skin, e.g. facial toning or wrinkle treatment · CPC title

• A61B2018/00565

  Bone · CPC title

• A61B2018/1425

  Needle · CPC title

• A61B18/1477

  Needle-like probes · CPC title