KR101963021B1 - Method and device for multichannel ocular iontophoresis - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus and method using a plurality of electrodes are disclosed. The disclosed multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus includes a first connection unit to which a plurality of anode electrodes attached to the periphery of an eye are connected; A second connection part to which a cathode electrode attached to the periphery of the eye is connected; A control unit for selecting at least one anode electrode among the plurality of anode electrodes; And a power supply unit for supplying a current flowing between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MULTICHANNEL OCULAR IONTOPHORESIS < RTI ID = 0.0 >

More particularly, the present invention relates to a multi-channel ophthalmologic apparatus using multiple electrodes and a multi-channel ocular iontophoresis method.

Iontophoresis is a method of injecting a charged drug by applying current to a specific site noninvasively. And ocular iontophoresis is a method of injecting drugs using iontophoresis in the eye. Through the applied current, it is possible for the drug to pass through the biological membrane of the eye more effectively, increase the concentration of the drug in the eye, and increase the residence time of the drug.

Such eye ion migration technique is more effective in drug delivery than eye drops used in conventional drug administration, and is relatively safe compared to eye injection. Therefore, it is in the spotlight as a method for injecting drugs into the next eye, and studies are being made in various countries, especially for cataract and glaucoma treatment, which have high rates of eye diseases.

The ocular iontophoresis device used in the present study and sold as a prototype is composed of a single (1-by-1) channel using one anode electrode and one cathode electrode, And to receive current and role.

However, when a single anode electrode and a single cathode electrode are used, a single current application pattern can be generated. Therefore, there is a difficulty in injecting the drug into the desired intraocular tissue of the user, and it is difficult to concentrate current to a specific tissue.

Particularly, when 1-by-1 channel is used, the current is concentrated only at the lower portion of the anode electrode, and the current tends to spread as the distance from the anode electrode increases. There is a limit to stimulation, and as the drug moves along the current that spreads, there is also a phenomenon that the drug concentrates into tissues that the user does not intend.

In addition, since the current flow can not be controlled according to the time, the direction of the current does not change in spite of the elapse of time, and the drug is injected only into the limited region. In order to pass the drug to the posterior segment of the eyeball, the drug must pass through several biofilms in the eyeball, and since the direction of the effective current to pass through each membrane is different, the 1-by- There is a limit to effectively delivering drugs.

A related prior art is Korean Patent Publication No. 2008-0018980.

The present invention provides a multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus and method using a plurality of electrodes.

The present invention also provides a multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus and method capable of efficiently injecting a drug into a target tissue of an eye.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display device including: a first connection unit to which a plurality of anode electrodes attached to the periphery of an eye are connected; A second connection part to which a cathode electrode attached to the periphery of the eye is connected; A control unit for selecting at least one anode electrode among the plurality of anode electrodes; And a power supply unit for supplying a current flowing between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cathode ray tube comprising: a first connection part to which a plurality of cathode electrodes attached to the periphery of an eye are connected; A second connection portion to which an anode electrode attached to the periphery of the eye is connected; A control unit for selecting at least one of the plurality of cathode electrodes; And a power supply unit for supplying a current flowing between the selected cathode electrode and the anode electrode.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an electrochemical device, comprising: selecting at least one anode electrode or at least one cathode electrode among a plurality of electrodes attached to the periphery of an eyeball; And supplying a current flowing between the selected electrode and an electrode of another polarity different from the selected electrode and the selected electrode.

According to the present invention, by selectively using a plurality of electrodes, current flows intensively in the target tissue of the eyeball, so that the drug can be efficiently injected into the target tissue of the eyeball.

Further, according to the present invention, by changing the pattern of the electric current with the passage of time, the drug can efficiently pass through the membrane in the eyeball and be injected into the target tissue.

1 is a view showing a multi-channel ocular ionizing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a view for explaining attachment positions of the positive electrode and the negative electrode.
3 is a diagram illustrating a multi-channel ocular iontophoretic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating a multi-channel ocular iontophoretic device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 5 to 13 are diagrams for explaining various current patterns that can be implemented through a multi-channel ocular ionizing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. Like reference numerals are used for like elements in describing each drawing.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a multi-channel ocular ionizing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view for explaining attachment positions of an anode electrode and a cathode electrode.

Referring to FIG. 1, a multi-channel ocular iontophoretic device 100 according to the present invention includes first and second connection units 110 and 120, a power source unit 130, and a control unit 140.

The first connection part 110 is connected to a plurality of anode electrodes 150 attached around the eyeball. The number of the anode electrodes 150 can be variously determined according to the embodiment. The second connection part 120 is connected to the cathode electrode 160 attached to the periphery of the eyeball.

That is, a plurality of anode electrodes 150 are attached to the periphery of the eyeball of the subject to be injected with drugs, and are connected to the multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus 100 through the first connection part 110. The cathode electrode 160 is also attached to the periphery of the eyeball of the subject to be injected with the drug, and is connected to the multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus 100 through the second connection portion 120. The anode electrode and the cathode electrode may be coupled to the multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus 100 in a fixed form, which may or may not be separate from the multi-channel ocular iontophoretic device 100, according to an embodiment.

Although there is no particular limitation on the attachment position of the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, it is preferable that the anode electrode and the cathode electrode are attached within a predetermined range from the eye so that current can flow around the eyeball. In one embodiment, the anode electrode may be attached to the top or bottom of the eye, and the cathode electrode may be attached to the opposite side of the location where the anode electrode is attached.

2, when the anode electrode 150 is attached to the lower side of the eyeball 210, the cathode electrode 160 may be attached to the upper side of the eyeball 210, and the cathode electrode 160 may be attached to the upper side of the eyeball 210 The anode electrode 150 can be attached to the upper side of the eye 210. [

2 (a), a plurality of anode electrodes 150 may be attached horizontally to the eye 210 or may be attached perpendicularly to the eye 210 as shown in Fig. 2 (b) have.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the control unit 140 selects at least one anode electrode among a plurality of anode electrodes. In one embodiment, the control unit 140 can receive a user's control command and select an electrode. Although not shown in the drawing, the multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus 100 may include an interface unit capable of receiving a user's control command.

The power supply unit 130 supplies a current flowing between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode.

The current supplied from the power supply unit 130 flows from the anode electrode toward the cathode electrode. The drug injected into the eyeball moves according to the current pattern and can be concentrated in a specific tissue of the eyeball.

At this time, the current pattern flowing in the eyeball may be changed depending on the selected anode electrode. For example, referring to FIG. 2, a current pattern when two anode electrodes on the left side in FIG. 2 (a) are selected may be different from a current pattern when all anode electrodes are selected. In FIG. 2 (b) The current pattern when the upper anode electrode is selected and the current pattern when the lower anode electrode is selected may be different.

The controller 140 can select the electrode according to the target tissue for the eyeball. The current pattern can be changed according to the electrode selection, and the drug can be intensively injected into the target tissue as the current pattern is changed. In one embodiment, to intensively inject a drug into the target tissue, a user may provide information about the selected electrode to the control unit 140, and the control unit 140 may select the electrode at the request of the user.

The control unit 140 can change the current pattern according to the time flow by changing the selection electrode according to the time flow. In one embodiment, the controller 140 may select the anode electrode farthest from the cathode electrode among the plurality of anode electrodes, and then select the anode electrode closest to the cathode electrode.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a multi-channel ocular ionizing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a multi-channel ocular ionizing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

3, the eye iontophoretic device according to the present invention includes a connection portion 320 to which a plurality of cathode electrodes 360 are connected, a connection portion 310 to which the anode electrode 350 is connected, . ≪ / RTI > At this time, the control unit selects at least one negative electrode among the plurality of negative electrodes 360, and the power supply unit supplies a current flowing between the selected negative electrode and the positive electrode.

4, the ocular iontophoresis apparatus according to the present invention may include a connection unit 410 or 420 to which a plurality of anode electrodes 450 and a plurality of cathode electrodes 460 are connected . At this time, the control unit may select at least one of the plurality of cathode electrodes or at least one of the plurality of anode electrodes. The power supply unit supplies a current flowing between the selected cathode electrode and the anode electrode.

FIGS. 5 to 13 are diagrams illustrating various current patterns that can be implemented through a multi-channel ocular ionizing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and show various simulation results. FIGS. 5 to 13 are simulation results using a finite element model for an eye. FIGS. 5 and 6 show simulation results under a condition that a current of 4 mA flows through the anode, and FIGS. 8 and 9 And FIGS. 12 and 13 show simulation results under the condition that a current of 2 mA flows through the anode.

5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining a current pattern for an embodiment in which four anode electrodes 510 to 540 are attached to the lower right eyeball and one cathode electrode 550 is attached to the upper side thereof.

5 (a) shows a voltage distribution when a current is applied by selecting two left-side electrodes 510 and 520 among four anode electrodes, and Fig. 6 (a) shows an electric field distribution of an eyeball at this time. 5 (b) shows the voltage distribution when current is applied by selecting all four anode electrodes 510 to 540, and FIG. 6 (b) shows the electric field distribution of the eyeball at this time.

6, when the left two electrodes 510 and 520 are selected, it can be seen that the current is concentrated in the vicinity of the ciliary body positioned on the side of the cornea 610, and the four anode electrodes 510 to 540, It can be confirmed that a current is concentrated in the cornea 610. [ That is, the current pattern is changed according to the selection electrode, and the charged drug can be concentrated in the tissue in which the current is concentrated, so that the drug can be effectively injected into the target tissue, .

If the target tissue is a ciliary body and a cornea, first, the left two electrodes 510 and 520 are selected and a current is applied. Then, all of the four anode electrodes 510 to 540 are selected and current is applied, The drug can be injected into the target tissue.

FIGS. 7 to 9 are diagrams for explaining a current pattern for an embodiment in which three anode electrodes 710 to 730 are attached to the lower right eyeball and two cathode electrodes 740 and 750 are attached to the upper side. 10 is a view showing a current pattern according to the distance between the anode electrode and the cathode.

8 shows the voltage distribution (FIG. 8A) and the electric field distribution of the eye (FIG. 8B) when the center anode electrode 720, the left anode electrode 710 and the cathode electrode 740 close to the eyeball are selected. 9 shows the voltage distribution (FIG. 9A) and the electric field distribution of the eyeball (FIG. 9A) when the center anode electrode 720, the right anode electrode 730 and the cathode electrode 750 remote from the eyeball are picked up 9 (b)). 8 (b) and 9 (b) show a lens 810, a retina 820, a sclera 830, a ciliary body 840, a vitreous body 850, (anterior, 860) tissue of the eye.

8, when a cathode electrode 740, a central anode electrode 720, and a left anode electrode 710 close to the eyeball are selected, it can be confirmed that a current flows intensively in the left and middle sclera 830 . Referring to FIG. 9, when the center anode electrode 720, the right anode electrode 730, and the cathode electrode 750 remote from the eyeball are accommodated, it can be confirmed that a current flows through the anterior portion of the eye as a whole.

Unlike FIG. 9, the current is concentrated in the sclera in FIG. 8 because a difference occurs in the distance between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode. Referring to FIG. 10, when the eyeball 1000 and the distant cathode electrode 750 are selected, current flows like the second path 1020 because the distance between the anode electrode 720 and the cathode electrode 750 is long The anode electrode 720 and the cathode electrode 740 are close to each other and a current flows as in the case of the first path 1010. When the cathode electrode 740 is relatively close to the eyeball 1000, The current can be concentrated in the sclera located in the sclera.

When the selection electrode is changed from FIG. 8 to FIG. 9 according to the passage of time, the drug that has been concentrated in the sclera passes through the film constituting the eyeball and can move to the lens 810 as the target tissue. That is, according to the present invention, by changing the pattern of the current with the passage of time, the drug can efficiently pass through the membrane in the eyeball and be injected into the target tissue.

11 to 13 are diagrams for explaining a current pattern for an embodiment in which two anode electrodes 1110 and 1120 are attached to the lower right eyeball and two cathode electrodes 1130 and 1140 are attached to the upper side .

12 shows the voltage distribution (Fig. 12 (a)) and the electric field distribution of the eye (Fig. 12 (b)) when the anode electrode 1110 and the cathode electrode 1130 close to the eyeball are selected. Fig. (Fig. 13 (a)) and the electric field distribution of the eye (Fig. 13 (b)) when the distant anode electrode 1120 and the cathode electrode 1240 are selected.

Referring to FIG. 12, when the anode 1110 and the cathode 1130 near the eyeball are selected, it can be seen that the current intensively flows in the front sclera and the lens. Referring to FIG. 13, it can be seen that a current flows through the anterior portion of the eye as a whole when the eyeball and the distant anode electrode 1120 and the cathode electrode 1240 are selected.

12, the reason why the current is concentrated in the sclera is that the distance between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode is different as described above.

As described in FIGS. 5 to 13, since the current pattern may vary depending on which electrode is selected among a plurality of electrodes attached to the periphery of the eyeball, according to the present invention, can do.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a multi-channel ocular iontophoresis method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In Fig. 14, a method performed in the aforementioned multi-channel ocular iontophoresis apparatus is described as one embodiment.

The multi-channel eye ionophoresis apparatus according to the present invention selects at least one anode electrode or at least one cathode electrode among a plurality of electrodes attached around the eyeball (S1410). When a plurality of electrodes attached to the periphery of the eyeball are anode electrodes, at least one of a plurality of anode electrodes may be selected, and when a plurality of electrodes attached around the eyeball are cathode electrodes, at least one of the plurality of cathode electrodes may be selected . Or when a plurality of anode electrodes and cathode electrodes are attached around the eyeball, at least one anode electrode and at least one cathode electrode may be selected.

The multi-channel ocular iontophoresis device supplies the current flowing between the selected electrode and electrodes of different polarity and the selected electrode (S1420). For example, when the selection electrode is the anode electrode, a current flowing between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode can be supplied.

In step S1420, an electrode may be selected according to the drug injection target tissue for the eye. As an example, the user may input an electrode selection control command for a target tissue intensively injecting a drug into a multi-channel ocular iontophoresis device. In step S1420, Can be selected.

The above-described technical features may be implemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed through various computer means and recorded in a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program instructions, data files, data structures, and the like, alone or in combination. The program instructions recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and constructed for the embodiments or may be available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tape; optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs; magnetic media such as floppy disks; Magneto-optical media, and hardware devices specifically configured to store and execute program instructions such as ROM, RAM, flash memory, and the like. Examples of program instructions include machine language code such as those produced by a compiler, as well as high-level language code that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like. The hardware device may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the embodiments, and vice versa.

As described above, the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, such as specific elements, and specific embodiments and drawings. However, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above- And various modifications and changes may be made thereto by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described, and all of the equivalents or equivalents of the claims, as well as the following claims, belong to the scope of the present invention .

Claims (10)

A first connection part to which a plurality of anode electrodes attached around the eyeball are connected;
A second connection part to which a cathode electrode attached to the periphery of the eye is connected;
A control unit for selecting at least one anode electrode among the plurality of anode electrodes and varying a pattern of a current flowing between the selected anode electrode and the cathode electrode; And
And a power supply unit for supplying the current,
Wherein the control unit selects an anode electrode which is farthest from the cathode electrode among the plurality of anode electrodes or a cathode electrode which is closest to the anode electrode,
When the selection electrode by the control unit is changed from the anode electrode closest to the cathode electrode to the anode electrode farthest from the cathode electrode, Moving from the sclera of the eye to the lens
Multichannel ocular iontophoresis device.
delete delete The method according to claim 1,
The positive electrode
Wherein the eyeball is attached to the upper or lower side of the eyeball,
The cathode electrode
And is attached to the opposite side of the position where the positive electrode is attached
Multichannel ocular iontophoresis device.
The method according to claim 1,
The positive electrode
Or attached horizontally to the eyeball or perpendicularly to the eyeball
Multichannel ocular iontophoresis device.
A first connection part to which a plurality of cathode electrodes attached around the eyeball are connected;
A second connection portion to which an anode electrode attached to the periphery of the eye is connected;
A control unit for selecting at least one cathode electrode among the plurality of cathode electrodes and varying a pattern of a current flowing between the selected cathode electrode and the anode electrode; And
And a power supply unit for supplying the current,
Wherein the control unit selects a cathode electrode that is the farthest from the anode electrode among the plurality of cathode electrodes or a cathode electrode that is closest to the anode electrode,
Wherein the drug injected into the eye that moves according to the pattern of the electric current is changed to a cathode electrode whose distance from the anode electrode is the farthest distance from the anode electrode where the selection electrode by the control unit is closest to the anode electrode, Moving from the sclera of the eye to the lens
Multichannel ocular iontophoresis device. delete delete delete delete

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