A passive MEMS drug delivery pump for treatment of ocular diseases

Biomed Microdevices. 2009 Oct;11(5):959-70. doi: 10.1007/s10544-009-9313-9. Epub 2009 Apr 25.

Abstract

An implantable manually-actuated drug delivery device, consisting of a refillable drug reservoir, flexible cannula, check valve, and suture tabs, was investigated as a new approach for delivering pharmaceuticals to treat chronic ocular diseases. Devices are fabricated by molding and bonding three structured layers of polydimethylsiloxane. A 30 gauge non-coring needle was used to refill the reservoir; this size maximized the number of repeated refills while minimizing damage to the reservoir. The check valve cracking pressure was 76 +/- 8.5 mmHg (mean +/- SE, n = 4); the valve sustained > 2000 mmHg of reverse pressure without leakage. Constant delivery at 1.57 +/- 0.2 microL/sec and 0.61 +/- 0.2 microL/sec (mean +/- SE, n = 4) under 500 mmHg and 250 mmHg of applied pressure, respectively, was obtained in benchtop experiments. The valve closing time constant was 10.2 s for 500 mmHg and 14.2 s for 250 mmHg. Assembled devices were successfully demonstrated in benchtop, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Delivery Systems / instrumentation*
  • Electrochemistry / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Eye Diseases / surgery
  • Eye Diseases / therapy*
  • Male
  • Mechanical Phenomena*
  • Microtechnology / instrumentation*
  • Needles
  • Prostheses and Implants*
  • Rabbits
  • Swine