Partial skull replacements capable of monitoring in real time and delivering substances into brain tissue, and uses thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016263277-A1
Application number	US-201615068051-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a partial skull replacement consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and a method of monitoring biological tissues within a skull using the partial skull replacement. The method of monitoring using the partial skull replacement of the present invention has a minimal influence on intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid flow as compared to a conventional cranial window technique using glass, and, by way of visualizing biological tissues within a skull with enhanced clarity, is expected to be usefully employed as a method of monitoring biological tissues within the skull.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of preparing a window in a skull, the method including:
removing the skull in a target site; and disposing a partial skull replacement consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) in an area from which the skull was removed.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the target site includes cerebral blood vessels or brain cells.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the window replaces a part of the skull and enables visualization of biological tissues within the skull or delivery of a foreign substance to biological tissues.

4 . A method of monitoring biological tissues within a skull, the method including:
removing a skull in an area to be monitored; disposing a partial skull replacement consisting of PDMS in an area from which the skull was removed; and monitoring biological tissues within the skull through the partial skull replacement that was disposed.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the substitute enables a long-term monitoring of biological tissues within the skull by maintaining intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow within the skull.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the monitoring is carried out using a laser or ultrasound.

7 . A method of injecting an agent into a skull, the method including:
removing the skull in an area of injection; disposing a partial skull replacement consisting of PDMS in an area from which the skull was removed; penetrating the partial skull replacement with an injection tool; and injecting the agent into the skull via the injection tool that has penetrated the partial skull replacement.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the agent is a lesion inducer, a therapeutic agent, a treatment promoter, a diagnostic agent, or an imaging agent.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the injection tool is a pipette or a needle.

Assignees

• Univ Sungkyunkwan Res & Bus
• Inst Basic Science

Inventors

• Kim Seong-Gi
• SUH Minah
• Heo Chaejeong
• Baac Hyoung Won

Classifications

• A61B5/0042

  for the brain · CPC title

• A61M2039/025

  through bones or teeth, e.g. through the skull · CPC title

• A61B8/00

  Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves · CPC title

• A61B5/0261

  using optical means, e.g. infrared light · CPC title

• A61F2/2875 Primary

  Skull or cranium (A61F2/2803 takes precedence; joints for temporo-mandibular [TM] joints [TMJ] A61F2/3099) · CPC title