IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,174,190
Granted Patent B2
US 9,174,190 · App. 14/245,644 · Granted Nov 3, 2015

Plasmonic assisted systems and methods for interior energy-activation from an exterior source

Inventors: Frederic Avery Bourke, Jr. (Greenwich, CT); Tuan Vo-Dinh (Chapel Hill, NC)
Assignees: IMMUNOLIGHT, LLC; DUKE UNIVERSITY
B01J19/125A23L1/0252A23L3/26A23L3/263A61K41/0057A61L2/0011A61L2/0047A61L2/082A61L2/10A61L2/16A61N5/062A61N5/10B01J19/082B01J19/085B01J19/12B01J19/123B01J19/127B01J19/128C02F1/30C02F1/307C02F1/32C02F1/725C08J3/28G21K5/00B01J2219/0877B01J2219/0879B01J2219/0892B01J2219/1203B82Y20/00C02F1/302C02F1/305C02F2305/10Y02W10/37Y10T156/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,174,190
App. No.
14/245,644
Granted
Nov 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and a system for producing a change in a medium disposed in an artificial container. The method places in a vicinity of the medium at least one of a plasmonics agent and an energy modulation agent. The method applies an initiation energy through the artificial container to the medium. The initiation energy interacts with the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent to directly or indirectly produce the change in the medium. The system includes an initiation energy source configured to apply an initiation energy to the medium to activate the plasmonics agent or the energy modulation agent.

Claims (53)

1. A method for treating an orthopedic article disposed inside a body of a human or animal, comprising:

exposing said orthopedic article inside the body of the human or the animal to x-rays or gamma rays or electron beams;

generating light from downconverters associated with the orthopedic article; and

at least one of curing or sterilizing the orthopedic article inside the body of the human or the animal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said exposing comprises exposing for said downconverters associated with the orthopedic article at least one of a sulfide, a telluride, a selenide and an oxide semiconductor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said exposing comprises exposing for said downconverters associated with the orthopedic article at least one of Y 2 O 3 ; ZnS; ZnSe; MgS; CaS; Mn, ErZnSe; Mn, ErMgS; Mn, ErCaS; Mn, ErZnS; Mn, YbZnSe; Mn, YbMgS; Mn, Yb CaS; Mn, Yb ZnS:Tb 3+ , Er 3+ ; ZnS:Tb 3+ ; Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ ; Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ , Er 3+ ; ZnS:Mn 2+ ; ZnS:Mn, Er 3+ .

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the light comprises ultraviolet radiation.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the ultraviolet radiation comprises UV-A or UV-B or UV-C light.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the orthopedic article comprises a surgical implant.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downconverters are biocompatible energy modulation agents.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents have an encapsulant, said encapsulant including at least one of silica, a polymer, a polyamidoamine dendrimer.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents have an encapsulant, said encapsulant including a biocompatible polymer.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymer includes at least one of poly(esters, poly(esters) based on polylactide (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA), polycarpolactone (PCL), poly(hydroxyalkanoate), modified poly(saccharide)s, starch, cellulose, chitosan, polyethylene oxides, poly(ether)(ester) block copolymers, and ethylene vinyl acetate.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymer includes ethylene vinyl acetate.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polymer includes cellulose.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents comprise at least one of TiO 2 , ZnO, and Fe 2 O 3 .

14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents comprise at least one of zinc sulfide, ZnS:Mn 2+ , ferric oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide.

15. A method for treating a prosthetic article disposed inside a body of a human or animal, comprising:

exposing said prosthetic article inside the body of the human or the animal to x-rays or gamma rays or electron beams;

generating light from downconverters associated with the prosthetic article; and

at least one of curing or sterilizing the prosthetic article inside the body of the human or the animal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said exposing comprises exposing for said downconverters associated with the prosthetic article at least one of a sulfide, a telluride, a selenide and an oxide semiconductor.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein said exposing comprises exposing for said downconverters associated with the prosthetic article at least one of Y 2 O 3 ; ZnS; ZnSe; MgS; CaS; Mn, Er ZnSe; Mn, Er MgS; Mn, Er CaS; Mn, Er ZnS; Mn, Yb ZnSe; Mn, Yb MgS; Mn, Yb CaS; Mn, Yb ZnS:Tb 3+ , Er 3+ ; ZnS:Tb 3+ ; Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ ; Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ , Er 3+ ; ZnS:Mn 2+ ; ZnS:Mn, Er 3+ .

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the light comprises ultraviolet radiation.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the ultraviolet radiation comprises UV-A or UV-B or UV-C light.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the downconverters are biocompatible energy modulation agents.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents have an encapsulant, said encapsulant including at least one of silica, a polymer, a polyamidoamine dendrimer.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents have an encapsulant, said encapsulant including a biocompatible polymer.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the polymer includes at least one of poly(esters, poly(esters) based on polylactide (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA), polycarpolactone (PCL), poly(hydroxyalkanoate), modified poly(saccharide)s, starch, cellulose, chitosan, polyethylene oxides, poly(ether)(ester) block copolymers, and ethylene vinyl acetate.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the polymer includes ethylene vinyl acetate.

25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the polymer includes cellulose.

26. The method of claim 20 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents comprise at least one of TiO 2 , ZnO, and Fe 2 O 3 .

27. The method of claim 20 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents comprise at least one of zinc sulfide, ZnS:Mn 2+ , ferric oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide.

28. A method for treating an implant disposed inside a body of a human or animal, comprising:

exposing said implant inside the body of the human or the animal to x-rays or gamma rays or electron beams;

generating light from downconverters associated with the implant; and

at least one of curing or sterilizing the implant inside the body of the human or the animal.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein said implant is disposed in an internal organ.

30. The method of claim 28 , wherein said exposing comprises exposing for said downconverters associated with the implant at least one of a sulfide, a telluride, a selenide and an oxide semiconductor.

31. The method of claim 28 , wherein said exposing comprises exposing for said downconverters associated with the implant at least one of Y 2 O 3 ; ZnS; ZnSe; MgS; CaS; Mn, Er ZnSe; Mn, Er MgS; Mn, Er CaS; Mn, Er ZnS; Mn, Yb ZnSe; Mn, Yb MgS; Mn, Yb CaS; Mn, Yb ZnS:Tb 3+ , Er 3+ ; ZnS:Tb 3+ ; Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ ; Y 2 O 3 :Tb 3+ , Er 3+ ; ZnS:Mn 2+ ; ZnS:Mn, Er 3+ .

32. The method of claim 28 , wherein the light comprises ultraviolet radiation.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the ultraviolet radiation comprises UV-A or UV-B or UV-C light.

34. The method of claim 28 , wherein the implant comprises a surgical implant.

35. The method of claim 28 , wherein the implant, comprises a shunt valve.

36. The method of claim 28 , wherein the implant comprises a contraceptive.

37. The method of claim 28 , wherein the downconverters are biocompatible energy modulation agents.

38. The method of claim 37 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents have an encapsulant, said encapsulant including at least one of silica, an adhesive, a polymer, a polyamidoamine dendrimer.

39. The method of claim 37 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents have an encapsulant, said encapsulant including a biocompatible polymer.

40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the polymer includes at least one of poly(esters, poly(esters) based on polylactide (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA), polycarpolactone (PCL), poly(hydroxyalkanoate), modified poly(saccharide)s, starch, cellulose, chitosan, polyethylene oxides, poly(ether)(ester) block copolymers, and ethylene vinyl acetate.

41. The method of claim 39 , wherein the polymer includes ethylene vinyl acetate.

42. The method of claim 39 , wherein the polymer includes cellulose.

43. The method of claim 37 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents comprise at least one of TiO 2 , ZnO, and Fe 2 O 3 .

44. The method of claim 37 , wherein the biocompatible energy modulation agents comprise at least one of zinc sulfide, ZnS:Mn 2+ , ferric oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide.

Continuity (6)
Continuation 13889925 · May 8, 2013
Continuation 13713931 · Dec 13, 2012
Continuation 12401478 · Mar 10, 2009
Provisional Application 61080140 · Jul 11, 2008
Provisional Application 61035559 · Mar 11, 2008
Related Publication 20140222117A1 · Aug 7, 2014