Device and method of creating a fluid containment field for administering therapeutics to a nerve
Inventors
Jackson, David M. • Trevino, Richard • Hoffman, Jordan A.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12383273-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
A severed nerve may be surgically rejoined and severed axons fused via sequential administrations of solutions. The solutions may include a priming solution comprising methylene blue in a Ca2+-free saline solution, a fusion solution comprising about 50% (w/w) PEG, and a sealing solution comprising Ca2+-containing saline. The PEG fusion solution may be applied in a nerve treatment device configured to isolate the injured segment of the nerve. The device may include a containment chamber for creating a fluid containment field around the anastomosis. The device may have slits, slots, and/or apertures in opposing endwalls of the device designed to receive the nerve. The device may have an open bath configuration or may include separable lower and upper bodies to create a closed bath configuration. The device may include one or more fluid ports in fluid communication with the containment chamber for introducing and/or removing fluid.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a nerve treatment device for forming a fluid containment field around at least a portion of an isolated segment of a nerve. The device includes an elongate body with a first endwall and a second endwall substantially opposite one another, and a containment chamber formed within the elongate body to extend from the first endwall to the second endwall. The containment chamber contains a void volume intersecting a top surface to form an access area configured to receive the isolated nerve segment, and the containment chamber is configured to substantially retain a volume of fluid within the void volume around at least a portion of the isolated nerve segment.
Fluid containment around the nerve ends is achieved by structures in the endwalls that receive and retain the nerve and form fluid seals. The first endwall includes a first slot extending downward from the top surface configured to receive and retain a first end of the isolated segment, and the second endwall includes a second slot extending downward configured to receive and retain a second end. The first and second slots are configured to form fluid seals around at least bottom portions of the isolated segment.
The device geometry is further defined to shape the containment chamber across its length or across the chamber width. The containment chamber width transverse to the longitudinal axis varies continuously across a length of the containment chamber with a maximum width between the first endwall and the second endwall, and/or the containment chamber depth varies continuously across a length with a maximum depth between the endwalls, and/or the containment chamber depth varies continuously across the width with a maximum depth between a front side and a rear side. In additional embodiments, the containment chamber floor is not flat, and the endwall and containment-chamber surfaces are arranged so that at least a portion of an endwall does not form an inner surface of the containment chamber.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims. Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on an elongate nerve treatment device with an internal containment chamber that retains fluid around an isolated nerve segment, together with endwall slit/slot structures that receive the nerve ends and create fluid seals, and further geometry and flexibility limitations.
Fluid containment field around an isolated nerve segment
A nerve treatment device for forming a fluid containment field around at least a portion of an isolated segment of a nerve, comprising an elongate body; a containment chamber formed within the elongate body and extending from a first endwall to a second endwall; a void volume intersecting a top surface to form an access area configured to receive the isolated segment; and the containment chamber configured to substantially retain a volume of fluid within the void volume around at least a portion of the isolated segment.
Endwall slots forming fluid seals at nerve ends
The first endwall comprises a first slot extending downward from the top surface configured to receive and retain a first end of the isolated segment, the second endwall comprises a second slot extending downward configured to receive and retain a second end of the isolated segment, and the first and second slots are configured to form fluid seals around at least bottom portions of the isolated segment.
Continuously varying containment chamber geometry
A width of the containment chamber transverse to the longitudinal axis varies continuously across a length of the containment chamber with a maximum width between the first endwall and the second endwall; and/or a depth of the containment chamber varies continuously across a length with a maximum depth between the first endwall and the second endwall; and/or a depth of the containment chamber varies continuously across a width of the containment chamber with a maximum depth between a front side and a rear side; and/or a width of the elongate body transverse to the longitudinal axis varies continuously across a length of the elongate body with a maximum width between the first endwall and the second endwall.
Flexible endwalls with biased slits to receive nerve
The first endwall comprises a first slit extending through the first endwall from the top surface downward and the second endwall comprises a second slit extending through the second endwall from the top surface downward; at least a portion of the first endwall is flexible and configured to be biased to increase a first width between opposing edges of the first slit so that the nerve may be received through the first slit; and at least a portion of the second endwall is flexible and configured to be biased to increase a second width between opposing edges of the second slit so that the nerve may be received through the second slit.
Slit extends to the bottom portion adjacent to the endwall
The first slit extends along at least a portion of the intersection between the first endwall and the bottom portion of the containment chamber adjacent to the first endwall.
Across the independent claims, the inventive focus is a nerve treatment device that forms a fluid containment field using an internal containment chamber with a void volume and access area for an isolated nerve segment, combined with endwall slit/slot structures that receive the nerve ends. The claims further require specific containment chamber geometry limitations and, in the second independent claim, flexible endwalls whose biased slits increase opening widths to permit nerve receipt.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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