Treatment modality and method for fungal nail infection
View Patent ↗A method of treatment of onychomychosis wherein a hydrogel is supersaturated with an antimycotic agent and supported on a backing. The assembly is placed over an infected nail for an extended period of time. The antimycotic agent diffuses through the nail to the underlying infection.
1. A method of treating a nail infected with onychomycosis comprising,
contacting an infected nail with a patch consisting of a cross-linked hydrogel wherein an organic acid solution is dispersed in the hydrogel.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the organic acid solution comprises citric acid.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising a supportive backing on a surface of the hydrogel.
4. The method according to claim 3 wherein the supportive backing is shaped to conform to an upper surface of an infected nail.
5. A method of treating a nail infected with onychomycosis, comprising,
contacting an infected nail with a patch consisting of a cross-linked hydrogel wherein an organic acid solution is dispersed in the hydrogel, and diffusing the organic acid solution through at least a portion of the infected nail.
6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the organic acid solution comprises acetic acid.
7. The method according to claim 5 further comprising a supportive backing on a surface of the hydrogel.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the supportive backing is shaped to conform to an upper surface of an infected nail.
9. A treatment agent for an infected nail, consisting of:
a supersaturated polymeric hydrogel;
an organic acid dispersed in the hydrogel;
a membrane to cover one surface of the hydrogel to form a patch; and
an adhesive coupled one surface of the patch to attach the patch to the nail.
10. The treatment agent of claim 9 wherein the organic acid is acetic acid.
11. The treatment agent of claim 9 wherein the organic acid is citric acid.
12. The treatment agent of claim 9 wherein the hydrogel is a polyacrylate.
13. A treatment agent, consisting of:
a supersaturated polymeric hydrogel;
an antimycotic agent dispersed in the hydrogel;
wherein the antimycotic agent is citric acid, acetic acid, iodine, DMSO, undecylenic acid, tea tree oil, salicylic acid, or urea;
a membrane to cover one surface of the hydrogel to form a patch; and
an adhesive coupled to one surface of the patch to attach the patch to the nail.
14. The treatment agent of claim 13 wherein the hydrogel is a polyacrylate.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein contacting further comprises adhering the cross-linked hydrogel to the infected nail.
16. The method of claim 5 wherein contacting further comprises adhering the cross-linked hydrogel to the infected nail.
17. The method according to claim 1 wherein the organic acid solution comprises acetic acid.
18. The method according to claim 5 wherein the organic acid solution comprises citric acid.