Space-efficient containment devices and method of making same

1. A containment device comprising:

a first microchip element which comprises a containment reservoir that can be electrically activated to open;

a first electronic printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises a biocompatible substrate, wherein the first PCB has a first side on which one or more electronic components are fixed and an opposed second side on which the first microchip element is fixed in electrical connection to the one or more electronic components;

a second electronic printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises a biocompatible substrate, wherein the second PCB has a first side on which one or more electronic components are fixed and an opposed second side; and

a housing ring securing the first PCB together with the second PCB,

wherein the first side of the first PCB is oriented in a facing relationship toward the first side of the second PCB, and

wherein the biocompatible substrate of the first PCB comprises a hermetic material and defines part of a hermetically sealed enclosure containing the one or more electronic components.

2. The containment device of claim 1 , wherein the biocompatible substrate of the first PCB is a ceramic.

3. The containment device of claim 2 , wherein the ceramic is alumina.

4. The containment device of claim 1 , wherein the first PCB comprises at least one via electrically connecting at least one of the one or more electronic components to the first microchip element.

5. The containment device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one via is electrically connected to a metallized conductive surface on the second side of the first PCB, and the metallized conductive surface is wirebonded to the first microchip element.

6. The containment device of claim 1 , wherein the containment reservoir is a microreservoir which contains a drug formulation or a sensor element.

7. The containment device of claim 1 , wherein the biocompatible substrates of the first and second PCBs form the outer surfaces of the second sides of the first and second PCBs, respectively.

8. The containment device of claim 7 , wherein the housing ring is formed of a biocompatible metal and, together with the first and second PCBs, defines the hermetically sealed enclosure containing the electronic components of the first and second PCBs.

9. The containment device of claim 8 , wherein the biocompatible substrate of each of the first and second PCBs is ceramic.

10. The containment device of claim 9 , wherein the ceramic is alumina.

11. The containment device of claim 1 , wherein second side of the second PCB comprises a second microchip element which comprises a containment reservoir that can be electrically activated to open.

12. The containment device of claim 11 , wherein the containment reservoir of the second microchip element is a microreservoir which contains a drug formulation or a sensor element.

13. A containment device comprising:

a first microchip element which comprises a containment reservoir that can be electrically activated to open;

a first electronic printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises a biocompatible substrate, wherein the first PCB has a first side on which one or more electronic components are fixed and an opposed second side on which the first microchip element is fixed in electrical connection to the one or more electronic components;

a second electronic printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises a biocompatible substrate, wherein the second PCB has a first side on which one or more electronic components are fixed and an opposed second side; and

a housing ring securing the first PCB together with the second PCB,

wherein the first side of the first PCB is oriented in a facing relationship toward the first side of the second PCB.

14. The containment device of claim 13 , wherein the biocompatible substrates of the first and second PCBs each comprise a hermetic material that at least partially forms an outer surface of the containment device.

15. The containment device of claim 13 , wherein:

the housing ring comprises a biocompatible metal;

the biocompatible substrates of the first and second PCBs each comprise a ceramic; and

the housing ring and the first and second PCBs are secured together to define a hermetically sealed enclosure containing the electronic components of the first and second PCBs.

16. The containment device of claim 13 , further comprising a second microchip element fixed to the opposed second side of the second PCB and in electrical connection to the one or more electronic components fixed on the first side of the second PCB, the second microchip element comprising a containment reservoir that can be electrically activated to open.

17. An implantable medical device comprising:

a first microchip element which comprises an array of containment reservoirs which are configured to be opened independently in vivo to release s drug contained in the containment reservoirs or to expose sensors contained in the containment reservoirs;

a first electronic printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises an alumina substrate, wherein the first PCB has a first side on which one or more electronic components are fixed and an opposed second side on which the first microchip element is fixed in electrical connection to the one or more electronic components;

a second electronic printed circuit board (PCB) which comprises an alumina substrate; and

a titanium housing ring securing the first PCB together with the second PCB,

wherein the first PCB, the second PCB, and the housing ring form a hermetic enclosure about the one or more electronic components.