Systems, devices, and methods including implantable devices with anti-microbial properties
Systems, devices, methods, and compositions are described for providing an actively controllable implant configured to, for example, monitor, treat, or prevent microbial growth or adherence to the implant.
1 . An insertable device, comprising:
a body structure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining one or more fluid-flow passageways, the body structure having a plurality of actuatable regions that are selectively actuatable between at least a first actuatable state and a second actuatable state; and
one or more sensors configured to detect at least one anti-microbial component associated with a biological sample proximate the body structure.
2 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuatable regions are reversibly actuatable between the at least first actuatable state and the second actuatable state.
3 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuatable regions are configured to actuate at least one of electrochemically, electromagnetically, photochemically, acoustically, magnetically, or electro-optically between the at least first actuatable state and the second actuatable state.
4 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuatable regions are actively controllable between the at least first actuatable state and the second actuatable state.
5 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuatable regions are controllably actuatable between an active state and a passive state.
6 . The insertable device of claim 1 , further comprising: a controller operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of actuatable regions, the controller configured to cause a change between the at least first actuatable state and the second actuatable state based on detected information from the one or more sensors.
7 . The insertable device of claim 1 , further comprising: a controller operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of actuatable regions, the controller configured to cause a change between an active state and a passive state based on detected information from the one or more sensors.
8 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of an electrochemical transducer, optical transducer, piezoelectric transducer, or thermal transducer.
9 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include one or more density sensors.
10 . The insertable device of claim 9 , wherein the density sensor includes at least one of an optical density sensor, or refractive index sensor.
11 . The insertable device of claim 9 , wherein the one or more refractive index sensors include one or more fiber optic refractive index sensors.
12 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one surface plasmon resonance sensor.
13 . The insertable device of claim 12 , wherein the surface plasmon resonance sensor includes at least one localized surface plasmon resonance sensor.
14 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of an acoustic biosensor, amperometric biosensor, calorimetric biosensor, optical biosensor, or potentiometric biosensor.
15 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include at least one of a fluid flow sensor, biological mass sensor, immune-sensor, or functionalized cantilever.
16 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the sensors is configured to detect at least one characteristic associated with a biological sample proximate at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the body structure.
17 . The insertable device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one characteristic includes at least one of autofluorescence, immunofluorescence, or indirect immunofluorescence.
18 . The insertable device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of actuatable regions are selectively actuatable between at least a first actuatable state and a second actuatable state via at least one switch.
19 . The insertable device of claim 18 , wherein the at least one switch includes at least one of an electro-mechanical switch, or an electro-optical switch.
20 . The insertable device of claim 1 , further comprising a power source.
21 . The insertable device of claim 20 , wherein the power source includes at least one of a thermoelectric generator, piezoelectric generator, electromechanical generator, alternating-current nanogenerator, or biomechanical-energy harvesting generator.
22 . The insertable device of claim 21 , wherein the power source is electromagnetically, magnetically, ultrasonically, optically, inductively, electrically, or capacitively coupled to a sensor.
23 . The insertable device of claim 20 , wherein the power source comprises at least one rechargeable power source.
24 . The insertable device of claim 20 , wherein the power source comprises at least one of a button cell, chemical battery cell, fuel cell, secondary cell, lithium ion cell, micro-electric patch, nickel metal hydride cell, silver-zinc cell, capacitor, super-capacitor, thin film secondary cell, ultra-capacitor, or zinc-air cell.
25 . The insertable device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of a battery, capacitor, or a mechanical energy store.
26 . The insertable device of claim 1 , further comprising a power receiver configured to receive power from an ex vivo power source.
27 . The insertable device of claim 1 , further comprising a power receiver configured to receive power from an in vivo power source.
28 . The insertable device of claim 27 , wherein the in vivo power source includes at least one of a thermoelectric generator, piezoelectric generator, electromechanical systems generator, alternating current nanogenerator, or biomechanical-energy harvesting generator.
29 . A method of inhibiting microbial growth or adherence, comprising:
actuating one or more anti-microbial regions of an insertable device between at least a first actuatable anti-microbial state and a second actuatable anti-microbial state in response to a detected presence of at least one microbial component proximate at least one of the actuatable anti-microbial regions of an insertable device.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein actuating includes reversibly actuating between the first actuatable anti-microbial state and the second actuatable anti-microbial state in response to a detected presence of at least one microbial component.
31 .- 32 . (canceled)
33 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the actuating between the at least one of the first actuatable anti-microbial state or the second actuatable anti-microbial state is based at least in part on detection of at least one microorganism.
34 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the actuating between the at least one of the first actuatable anti-microbial state or the second actuatable anti-microbial state is based at least in part on a schedule.
35 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the actuating between the at least one of the first actuatable anti-microbial state or the second actuatable anti-microbial state is based at least in part on a command from an implant.
36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the actuating between the at least one of the first actuatable anti-microbial state or the second actuatable anti-microbial state is based at least in part on a command from one or more sensors.
37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the actuating between the at least one of the first actuatable anti-microbial state or the second actuatable anti-microbial state is based at least in part on an external command.
38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected fluorescence.
39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected impedance.
40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected optical reflectance.
41 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected thermal transfer.
42 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected change in conductance.
43 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected change in index of refraction.
44 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial region based on a detected pH.
45 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region includes actuating a spatially patterned anti-microbial nanostructure based on a detected microbial component of at least one microorganism.
46 . The method of claim 37 , wherein actuating the at least one actively controllable anti-microbial region is initiated at least one of prior to, during, or subsequent to insertion of the insertable device into a biological subject.
47 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the method includes electrically activating a computing device to execute the method.
48 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising generating at least one output to a user.
49 . The method of claim 48 , wherein generating at least one output to the user includes electrically activating at least one of a treatment protocol, identification of a detected microorganism, status of the insertable device, or location of a detected microorganism.
50 . The method of claim 48 , wherein generating at least one output to the user includes generating at least one output to at least one entity.
51 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the at least one entity includes at least one person or computer.
52 . The method of claim 48 , wherein the at least one output includes at least one output to a user readable display.
53 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the user readable display includes a human readable display.
54 .- 55 . (canceled)
56 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the user readable display includes one or more of a numeric format, graphical format, or audio format.
57 . The method of claim 52 , wherein the output includes at least one heuristically determined parameter including at least one of a threshold level or target parameter.
58 . The method of claim 57 , wherein the heuristically determined parameter includes at least one heuristic protocol determined parameter or heuristic algorithm determined parameter.