Apparatus and method for aerosol delivery to the lungs or other locations of the body
This disclosure relates to an apparatus useful for the delivery of aerosols, such as those containing drugs, to the lungs or other locations in the body. The disclosure also relates to methods of administering an aerosol to the lungs or other locations in the body of a patient.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a reservoir in fluid communication with an outlet channel;
a low pressure pump-inlet in fluid communication with the outlet channel;
a high pressure pump in fluid communication with the low pressure pump-inlet;
a high pressure pump-outlet in fluid communication with the high pressure pump, the high pressure pump-outlet having a switching valve, said switching valve having a delivery outlet; and
an aerosolizer in fluid communication with the delivery outlet, the aerosolizer comprising an elongated sleeve member with a proximal end and a distal end, containing at the distal end an insert having an outer surface with a substantially helical channel surrounding the outer surface, and an orifice at an end wall thereof;
wherein the apparatus supplies no gas to aerosolize liquid, and wherein when the reservoir contains a liquid, pressurized liquid flowing from the outlet channel to the orifice is unexposed to gas until it exits the apparatus via the orifice, and said pressurized liquid passes through the helical channel and through the orifice, at which point said pressurized liquid is aerosolized as it encounters ambient air at a pressure lower than a pressure of the pressurized liquid.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible connector in fluid communication with the high pressure pump outlet and the aerosolizer, said flexible connector connecting both the high pressure pump outlet and the aerosolizer.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the flexible connector comprises a coil.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the flexible connector comprises polyether ether ketone.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the high pressure pump is connected to a controller.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is programmed to activate the high pressure pump for a pre-set time interval.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the reservoir comprises a vial sealed with a septum;
the outlet channel comprises a needle piercing the septum; and
the apparatus further comprises an inlet to admit a gas into the reservoir via the pierced septum, to compensate for a volume of fluid transferred out of the reservoir.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising the switching valve being in fluid communication with the high pressure pump outlet, the switching valve containing a fluid at high pressure and having a delivery outlet and a release outlet; and a restrictor in fluid communication with the release outlet.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a controller connected to the switching valve.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein liquid passing through the orifice is aerosolized after leaving the apparatus and is entrained in the ambient air.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said high pressure pump produces, at the orifice, a flow rate for the liquid of about 16 mL per minute at a fluid pressure of about 3000 pounds per square inch.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said aerosolizer has an outer diameter of about 0.025 inches.
13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said aerosolizer has a length sufficient to enable it to be placed adjacent to a target tissue so that the aerosolized liquid is administered to said target tissue.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said target tissue comprises lung tissue.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flexible connector coupled between said delivery outlet and said aerosolizer, and in fluid communication therebetween.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a restrictor in fluid communication with a release outlet, wherein the switching valve contains the liquid at high pressure and the restrictor maintains the liquid at high pressure in the switching valve when the switching valve delivers the liquid to the release outlet.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the restrictor comprises an interior passage of 2.5 inches in length with a substantially circular cross-section and a diameter of 0.005 inches.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller connected to the switching valve, wherein the controller controls the opening and closing of the switching valve.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said controller is a programmable controller that is programmed to open the switching valve for a pre-set time interval.
20. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the liquid contains solids.
21. An apparatus comprising:
a reservoir having an outlet channel;
a pressure generator in fluid communication with the outlet channel; and
an aerosolizer in fluid communication with a delivery outlet of the pressure generator, the aerosolizer comprising a sleeve member containing an insert having a substantially helical channel surrounding its outer surface, and having an orifice at an end wall thereof;
wherein the apparatus supplies no gas to aerosolize liquid, and wherein when the reservoir contains a liquid, pressurized liquid flowing from the outlet channel to the orifice is unexposed to gas until it exits the apparatus via the orifice, and said pressurized liquid passes through the helical channel and through the orifice, at which point said pressurized liquid is aerosolized.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said pressure generator comprises a pump.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said pressure generator comprises a pressurized fluid tank.
24. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein said pressurized liquid aerosolizes as it passes through the orifice and, after it exits the orifice, encounters ambient gas at a pressure lower than a fluid pressure generated by said pressure generator.