Drug delivery device for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockage

1. A drug delivery device for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade at a site in a human or animal in need thereof, the device comprising a fibrillar collagen matrix; and at least one drug substance selected from the group consisting of amino amide anesthetics, amino ester anesthetics and mixtures thereof, the at least one drug substance being substantially homogeneously dispersed in the collagen matrix, and the at least one drug substance being present in an amount sufficient to provide a duration of local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade which lasts for at least about one day after administration.

2. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drug substance is present in an amount sufficient to provide a duration of local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade which lasts for at least about two days after administration.

3. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drug substance is present in an amount sufficient to provide a duration of local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade which lasts for at least about three days after administration.

4. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drug substance is an amino amide anesthetic selected from the group comprising Bupivacaine, Levobupivacaine, Lidocaine, Mepivacaine, Prilocaine, Ropivacaine, Articaine, Trimecaine and their salts and prodrugs.

5. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one drug substance is an amino amide anesthetic selected from bupivacaine and salts and pro drugs thereof.

6. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the fibrillar collagen matrix is a Type I collagen matrix.

7. The drug delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the fibrillar collagen matrix is a Type I collagen matrix and the at least one drug substance is an amino amide anesthetic selected from bupivacaine and salts and prodrugs thereof.

8. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the drug delivery device comprises a plurality of collagen sponges, each collagen sponge containing about 3.6 to about 8.0 mg/cm 3 type I collagen and about 2.0 to about 6.0 mg/cm 3 bupivacaine hydrochloride.

9. The drug delivery device of claim 7 , wherein the drug delivery device comprises a plurality of collagen sponges, each collagen sponge containing about 5.6 mg/cm 3 type I collagen and about 4.0 mg/cm 3 bupivacaine hydrochloride.

10. A method for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade in a human or animal in need thereof, the method comprising administering at a site in a human or animal in need thereof a drug delivery device comprising a fibrillar collagen matrix; and at least one drug substance selected from the group consisting of amino amide anesthetics, amino ester anesthetics and mixtures thereof, the at least one drug substance being substantially homogeneously dispersed in the collagen matrix, and the at least one drug substance being present in an amount sufficient to provide a duration of local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade which lasts for at least about one day after administration.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one drug substance is present in an amount sufficient to provide a duration of local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade which lasts for at least about two days after administration.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one drug substance is present in an amount sufficient to provide a duration of local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade which lasts for at least about three days after administration.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one drug substance is an amino amide anesthetic selected from the group comprising Bupivacaine, Levobupivacaine, Lidocaine, Mepivacaine, Prilocaine, Ropivacaine, Articaine, Trimecaine and their salts and prodrugs.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one drug substance is an amino amide anesthetic selected from bupivacaine and salts and prodrugs thereof.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fibrillar collagen matrix is a Type I collagen matrix.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fibrillar collagen matrix is a Type I collagen matrix and the at least one drug substance is an amino amide anesthetic selected from bupivacaine and salts and prodrugs thereof.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the drug delivery device comprises a plurality of collagen sponges, each collagen sponge containing about 3.6 to about 8.0 mg/cm 3 type I collagen and about 2.0 to about 6.0 mg/cm 3 bupivacaine hydrochloride.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the drug delivery device comprises a plurality of collagen sponges, each collagen sponge containing about 5.6 mg/cm 3 type I collagen and about 4.0 mg/cm 3 bupivacaine hydrochloride.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method is for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade in a human following laparotomy.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method is for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade in a human following orthopedic, abdominal, gynecological or thoracic surgical procedures.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method is for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade in a human following orthopedic, abdominal, gynecological or thoracic surgical procedures.

22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the method is for providing local analgesia, local anesthesia or nerve blockade in a human following orthopedic, abdominal, gynecological or thoracic surgical procedures.

23. The method of claim 10 , wherein the drug delivery device comprises a plurality of collagen sponges and wherein at least one sponge is placed adjacent the surgical site, at least one sponge is placed across the incision in the wall of the body cavity and at least one sponge is placed between the sheath and skin around the incision.