METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ADMINISTERING OR ASPIRATING SUBSTANCES ALONG THE WHOLE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for introducing a tube (3) in order to deliver or remove substance(s) at positions in the gastrointestinal tract by letting a human subject or an animal swallow a firm body (1), the "head part", to which said tube is fastened and letting the head part (1) be moved by peristalsis to desired positions. According to the invention, said head part (1), which is provided with a bore (2) or cavity running through it and being in fluid connection with said tube (3), is halted at a selected position in any part of the gastrointestinal tract by fixing the tube at the entrance into the body or outside the body. Said tube (3) is marked to indicate length of the swallowed part of the tube in order to guide the finding of said selected position. Liquid or gas is delivered or aspirated through said tube (3) and said bore (2) or cavity running through the head part (1).

Description: METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ADMINISTERING OR ASPIRATING SUBSTANCES ALONG THE WHOLE GASTRC INTESTINAL TRACT TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method for introducing a tube in order to deliver or remove substance(ε) at positions in the gastrointestinal tract by letting a human subject or an animal swallow a firm body, hereafter called "head part", to which said tube is fastened and letting the head part be moved by peristalsis to desired positions. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION It is often of considerable interest and value to be able to administer substances at predetermined locations all along the gastrointestinal (GI-) tract. The same applies to the possibility of aspirating samples or collect measurement signals from different sensors. It is also of interest to test the local permeability all along the Gl-tract to investigate new possibilities to develop pharmaceutical preparations or to obtain a bet t er understanding about the kinetics of a certain drug. It is also possible to sample through the tube for analysis of possible deviations in the composition of the gastric or intestinal juice. It can further be of interest to measure some parameter, e.g. pK, pressure, electrolytes , a chemical compound or enzyme at a specified location along the Gl-tract. Today, a number of capsules are described or are available , which can be swallowed freely (without wire or tube ) and which can be tracked telemetrically or by X-ray, isotopes or ultrasound during their ride along the Gl-tract. Using this kind of capsules it is possible to deliver an isolated dose of some drug ( Hugemann, DE 29 28 477 B2 ; US Pat Off: Casper et al . , CONFIRMATION COPY 5 170 801 and Kambara et al., 4 507 115; Hem ati 1969; NY State University 1992) and record and transmit signals for measurement of pH (Wolff and Russ 1960) or pressure (Connell and Rowlands 1960; Barany and Jacobsson 1964; Farrar and Bernstein 1968) . It is also possible to aspirate a small volume of liquid (Uchiyama et al . 1980) . A special form of telemetric capsule can by choice of suitable module, designed to be installed onto a basic capsule, deliver a single dose of selected drug, aspirate a small volume, or sample a small biopsy from the intestinal mucosa (Lambert et al . 1991) . However, all of these capsules suffers from the limitation that they are mobile along the Gl- tract and that they cannot deliver dose or aspirate repeatedly or continuously. The subject who has swallowed the capsule will also experience a limited mobility due to the need for telemetric recording. Solid bodies fitted with a wire for "mooring" in a fixed position have been described for delivery of a drug from one or multiple pills mounted (a) at the end of the wire or along the wire in the Gl-tract (US Pat Off: Millard, 2 483 098 and Kaslow and Saputo 2 773 502) or in the form of a capsule for pressure recording (Browning et al . 1981) or a capsule for delivery of physiologically active or diagnostic substances to the gastrointestinal tract (Lindstrόm et al . Patent application WO 92/05759 Al) . These devices can be locked in a fixed position but cannot deliver a solution, time-control dose delivery/aspiration nor execute these operations repeatedly or continuously during a certain time period or at different positions. A principle for perfusion of the upper part of the small intestine (Lennernas et al . 1992) is applied using a rather thick tube (diameter 5.3 mm) which is introduced into the intestine under X-ray guidance. The tube contains channels which on one hand allow for inflation of two balloons which lock up one segment of the intestine, on the other hand allow for perfusion of the trapped part of the intestine. In this way is it possible to convey substances in solution and also take back remaining, not absorbed substance or endogenous compounds. The method calls for local anesthesia of the pharynx region and will strongly interfere with the peristalsis and physiology in the Gl-tract. Furthermore, the experiments cannot be going on for more than a few hours and only the upper part of the small intestine is accessible (risk for ileus if the thick tube is transported further down into the intestine) . Methods using some form of capsule applied to a tube are described. The so called Watson-capsule (Ferraris Medical Ltd, London, UK) , is a solid capsule which is pulled down in the upper small intestine dragging an air-filled tube. It has a very limited application (biopsies in the upper small intestine) . Another application is a tube applied with loops in the top which will allow the intestine to get a good grip to pull down the tube. In that way one will obtain a route for application of nutrients into the upper part av the small intestine postoperatively (Bengmark et al . 1989) . A similar use has an equipment consisting of a tube with a stabilizing inner thread surrounded by an inflatable balloon (Lauterjung. Patent specification SE 448 671 B) . It is introduced in a deflated shape, then filled with liquid to allow transport to the upper small intestine. By increasing the pressure of the liquid the balloon opens and the tube can be used for nutrition. These equipments are not useful for deeper positions . A further application is so called enteroscopy, where a mercury- or air- filled balloon is used to pull down a tube (Deyhle et al . 1972) or a flexible enteroscope (Seensalu 1993) . In the first case the tube is utilized for guiding a fiberscope down into the lower part of the small intestine, in the latter the enteroscope is directly used to reach the lower small intestine. These methods are not constructed for administration/aspiration or entrance into the colon and would be very inconvenient for ambulant patients or subjects in normal activity or for administration controlled by the subject itself. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPT The present invention aims at creating a method for delivering or removal of substances at selected levels along the whole Gl- tract as described in the introductory clause of the attached main claim and necessary equipment to achieve this purpose. A great advantage of the invention is that it enables a repeated or continuous procedure which can be performed on different levels of the gut. This is obtained by swallowing a firm body (the "head part") which is provided with a bore or cavity running through it and being in fluid connection with a flexible tube. The head part is halted at a selected position in any part of the gastrointestinal tract by fixing the tube at the entrance into the body or outside the body. The tube is marked to indicate length of the swallowed part of the tube in order to guide the finding of said selected position. Liquid or gas is delivered or aspirated through said tube and said bore or cavity. If necessary, the tube and the surrounding gut are made visible by X-ray or other radiation by injecting a (contrast) medium through the tube and the head part. If desired, the head part is allowed to move on to new selected positions and the described events are repeated. The head part and the tube are allowed to leave the gut via the anus. In a preferred embodiment the head part is opaque to X-ray and the tube is made by polyethene. The outer surface cf the tube can have scale marks to indicate the distance from, the lips or nostrils down to the position of the head part. The tube outside the body is kept in a small reel placed, for instance, in a breast pocket of the subject. The external part of the tube has an interface for connection to, e.g. an injection syringe used for delivering solution to the gut or aspirating liquid from it. Even if parts of our invention can be found in some earlier methods, none has the simplicity and ease that our invention has, regarding the combination of facile introduction of the head part and tube into the Gl-tract, of anchoring the head part or allowing the subject to move freely. The method to deliver or aspirate repeatedly or continuously and at repeated locations is without counterpart. Using a tube with a scale enables a high degree of accuracy in positioning along the Gl-tract without use of any medical imaging modality once the "geography" of a subject's gut is known. No hitherto described method or equipment allows delivery of solid substance, which is a very important aspect, for instance when the substance has a low solubility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF APPENDED DRAWINGS Seven Figures are accompanying the application. Fig.1 shows a preferred embodiment. Fiαs .2a-2d illustrate plasma concentrations in 4 subjects after administration of a dissolved drug substance using the preferred embodiment at different levels of the Gl-tract. Fig.3 shows a longitudinal section of a head part used for administration of substance powder. Fig.4 shows a longitudinal section of another head part used for administration of substance powder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment is shown in Figure 1. The equipment is composed of three separate parts: A) a motility-driven head part 1, with a bore 2 running through it, used for pulling the tube 3 through the Gl-tract, B) a flexible tube 3, fastened to said head part 1 in fluid connection with said bore 2, used for transport of liquid and/or gas, C) external interface 4, such as Luer Lok®, used for connection of the tube to a pumping or sucking device 5, in the simplest form an injection syringe. A) The head part 1 is made of a relatively stiff plastics material and/or metal. The material in the head part should preferably be opaque to X-rays, at least to some extent, by which means its journey through and its present location in the Gl-tract, at will, can be documented. The head part can have the shape of a typical oblong pharmaceutical gelatine capsule. Its length should be 1-4 cm and breadth 1-2 cm. Practical experiments have shown that a head part with a length of 2-3 cm and a diameter around 1 cm, corresponding to a volume around 2 mL, is a size suitable for swallowing and sufficiently large to enable the intestine to get a strong grip. The tube 3 is connected, e.g. by means of a suitable glue, to the head part 1. An alternative manufacturing method is to cast plastics directly around the tube, using a mould of suitable dimensions . B) The tube 3 must be sufficiently thin, flexible and smooth to be swallowed without causing nausea or throat irritation. Its flexibility enables the head part to pull it all along the Gl- tract. A polymer, such as polyethene, is a suitable material. Especially the loops formed by the intestines can otherwise cause a very strong resistance and render transport of the tube all along the Gl-tract impossible. The length of the tube can vary dependent on the field of application. If the head part shall pass through the whole Gl- tract, tube lengths of 5-6 m will be needed. The tube should not exceed 1 mm in diameter and for usefulness not have a smaller diameter than C.4 mm. The inner diameter should be at least 0.2 mm, otherwise the resistance to flow will be too high. To resist pressure, the wall thickness should be at least 0.1 mm. A well proven tube is a polyethene tube with an outer diameter of 0.61 mm and an inner diameter of 0.28 mm (PORTEX Ltd, Hythe, England, ref. code 800/110/100) . This tube fulfills the demand of being flexible, simultaneously admitting throughflow of liquid and/or gas when positioned in the Gl-tract. This kind of tube might require special pretreatment of its surface to give a good adhesive capacity for the glue. The outer surface of the tube can be supplied with scale marks, e.g. for every 10 cm, to show the length of the tube that has been swallowed by the subject. By administering a fluid contrast medium, such as Omnipak® 300, through the tube it can be seen at fluoroscopy, and if enough contrast is given also the surrounding part of the gut can be seen. in use the head part 1 is swallowed together with a length of the tube 3 which allows the head part to reach the stomach. If the experiment is planned to continue over a longer time period, the tube is first introduced through the nose into the mouth cavity, whereafter the head part is mounted and swallowed. After a certain time, the head part passes out through the pylorus due to the peristaltic movements of the stomach and reaches the duodenum. If the passage through pylorus is delayed (>1 hour) , a motility-promoting drug, such as metoclopramide, may be injected. The normal peristaltic movements of the intestine then moves the head part along the intestinal tract together with the tube. The tube outside the body is kept in a small reel placed, for instance, in the breastpocket of a shirt or jacket. When the desired position has been reached, the tube is fastened for instance in one of the subject's teeth or in a piece of clothing; by doing so the head part is anchored in said position. If the requirements on exact positioning in the Gl- tract are not very great, the position of the head part can be estimated by means of the length of the tube that the subject has swallowed. If higher precision is required, fluoroscopy can be used for exact localisation of the head part in the Gl-tract. Then, if desired, a contrast medium can be injected through the tube to make the tube and, if more is injected, the surrounding gut visible to X-ray. Once the exact length of tube required to reach the selected position in the Gl-tract has been determined, on a later occasion another tube can be swallowed without the need for fluoroscopy which minimizes the X-ray dose to the subjects and makes possible self administration. With this equipment administration can go on as long as desired, because the head part in principle can remain in the chosen position for an arbitrary length of time. The amount of substance given per time unit can be varied within wide limits. If a drug substance would be given for treatment of a local disease, the dose can be kept low because of localized administration. Very exact doses can be given, because the dead volume of the tube and head part is small and can also be rinsed after administration. Also the volumes of aspirated liquid are well defined because of the small dead volume. Normal food intake can occur and subjects can perform their normal activities . When the head part has been kept in the selected position for the desired time, the tube is cut which causes the head part to be transported through the rest of the Gl-tract and out of the body through the anus together with connected tube. Our experience has shown that it is possible to allow the head part and tube to stay in the gut for a long time (> 24 hours) ; we have even reached as deep as into the colon sigmoideum without cutting the tube. When the head part is to enter the colon, it appears favourable to use a "light" head part, i.e. one that floats in water. C) To the external interface 4 of the tube, in the simplest case, a common injection syringe 5 can be connected by means of which liquid and/or gas can be pressed through or liquid from the gut sucked. For a more advanced use of the system, for instance at use of various sensors or for automated control, the connected apparatus can of course be controlled using various soft-ware algorithms. Figures 2a-2d show an experiment where drug substance has been supplied by means of the described equipment in an aqueous solution to four subjects on two levels in the gut: first in the upper part of the small intestine, then in the ileocaecal region: a) In subject WM after administration of 3 mg at level 125 cm and 12 mg at level 234 cm. b) In subject NBG after administration of 3 mg at 172 cm and 12 mg at 283 cm c) In subject JRO after administration of 3 mg at 114 cm and 12 mg at 223 cm d) In subject GAT after administration of 3 mg at 108 cm and 12 mg at 210 cm Figures 2a-2d illustrate the usefulness of the equipment to deliver drug substance to different levels of the gut. MODIFICATIONS OF THE INVENTION The invention can be modified in many ways within the framework of the enclosed claims. The normal use of the equipment implies that with the head part 1 in selected position within the Gl- tract one can give a chosen fluid during arbitrary time or suck liquid from the gut. It is also possible to mix these functions through time multiplex. When doing so, it is essential to rinse the tube 3 with suitable rinsing solution at the change between aspiration and infusion, alternatively between infusion of different substances (e.g., for studies of interaction between substances) . By measurement of concentrations in body fluids after administration of substance (s) , the equipment gives possibilities for measurements of uptake rate and absorption capability of various substances on different levels in the gut. Thus, one can create individual "gut profiles" for various drugs which can be used, e.g. for a later development of pharmaceutical formulations. It is also possible to record such profiles upon addition of various potentially interacting substances. Deviating gut profiles, when diagnostic substances are added, can be used e.g. for diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease or other disturbances in the normal function of the gut. Similarly, aspirates can be analysed for their contents of various compounds. If aspirates are taken on different levels, "profiles" for components in intestinal juice can be constructed. The head part 1 can be constructed with space for a cargo in the form of sensors, chemical substance (s) and/or drugs. The available space is more than sufficient to contain sensors, e.g. for measurement of simple physical parameters, such as temperature and pressure, but also for measurements of pH, salts, enzyme activities, hemoglobin, blood corpuscles, bacteria, virus, cancer markers etc. Such head parts with sensors can of course also be used for measuring quite new physico-chemical "gut profiles" independent of administration but also for automatic sensor controlled delivery by letting the outsignal control the release of substance from the head part. The signal from the sensors of the head part can be transmitted to the external world before, during, or after administration by means of a built-in wireless transmitter or by using electrical or optical conductors that have been added to the tube . The conductors can be placed in the actual tube lumen or in an extra conductor lumen within the tube (a thin tube with integrated electrical or optical conductors is commercially available) . By constructing ' the head part 1 somewhat different, also substances in powder form can be administered to a selected position in the gut. Such a head part can be constructed in two different ways: a) Figure 3 : the head part 1 is made hollow and the tube ends in the cavity 6. Then the head part is filled with substance and is covered by a closing membrane 7. When the head part has reached the selected position in the gut, the pressure in the tube 3 is increased by introducing liquid or gas, for instance by means of a syringe in the external end of the tube, implying that the increased pressure in the head part 1 presses the membrane 7 away and the substance is released into the gut . Then the equipment can be used as usual, this means for instance for continuous infusion of substance solution. b) Figure 4 : the head part 1 is made hollow and the tube 3 ends in the cavity 6. The inside of the head part is covered by a protective membrane 8 which is fastened at the frontal opening of the head part. Substance is filled into the pocket formed by the protective membrane and the head part is closed by a closing membrane 7. If the pressure is increased sufficiently in the tube 3 by injecting liquid or gas, the closing membrane 7 is removed and the head part opens . On further increase of the pressure, the membrane pocket inverts and the substance is emptied into the gut. The advantage with this method is that a complete rapid emptying of all powdered substance out of the head part is guaranteed; the drawback is that this kind of head part cannot be used for a following continuous infusion. The control of the flow of liquid or gas in the tube 3 can of course be controlled by a computer which is programmed for a desired time sequence. The computer control can be made regarding performed measurements of gut profiles or reaction to signals from sensors in the head part. At some inflammatory bowel diseases stenoses in the gut occur, which bears a risk that the head part can got stuck and not at all or only with difficulty can be transported through the GI- tract and out through the anus. By using a head part with hollow walls, externally flexible, for these cases, it can after the administration or aspiration procedures be pierced and then retracted out of the Gl-tract through the mouth. REFERENCES In the order of appearance in the text: B Hugemann. German patent DE 29 28 477 B2 RA Casper et al. US patent No. 5 170 801 Kambara et al. US patent No.4 507 115 A Hemmati . Verh Dtsch Ges Inn Med 1969; 75:672-675 New York State University: Note in "Illustrerad Vetenskap" ("Illustrated Science"), No.6, 1992, p.65 HS Wolff and RF Russ. Paper in "Proceedings 3rd Int Conference on Medical Electronics" (1960) AM Connell and EN Rowlands. Gut 1960; 1:266-272 F Barany and B Jacobson. Gut 1964; 5:90-95 JT Farrar and JS Bernstein. Gastroenterology 1968; 54:770-771 A Uchiyama et al . Biotelemetry 1980; 5:47-49 A Lambert et al . Med Biol Eng Comput 1991; 29:191-196 EL Millard. US Patent No. 2 438 098 AL Kaslow and JJ Saputo. US Patent No. 2 773 502 C Browning et al . Lancet 1981; ii : 504-505 K Lindstrόm et al . Patent application No. WO 92/057 59 Al H Lennernas et al . Pharm Res 1992; 9:1243-1250 S Bengmark et al . "Lakartidningen" (Physicians' Journal) 1989; 86:2204 F Lauterjung. Patent specification SE 448 671 B P Deyhle et al . Endoscopy 1972; 4:155-157 R Seensalu. "Lakartidningen" (Physicians' Journal) 1993,- 90:2449-2451

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. A method for introducing a tube in order to deliver or remove substance(s) at positions in the gastrointestinal tract by letting a human subject or an animal swallow a firm body, hereafter called "head part", to which said tube is fastened and letting the head part be moved by peristalsis to desired positions, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that - said head part, which is provided with a bore or cavity running through it and being in fluid connection with said tube, being halted at a selected position in any part of the gastrointestinal tract by fixing the tube at the entrance into the body or outside the body; said tube being marked to indicate length of the swallowed part of the tube in order to guide the finding of said selected position; - liquid or gas is delivered or aspirated through said tube and said bore or cavity running through the head part; if necessary, the tube and the surrounding gu are made visible by X-ray or other radiation by injecting a (contrast) medium through the tube and the head part; if desired, the head part is allowed to move on to new selected positions and the described events are repeated; - the head part and the tube are allowed to leave the gut via the anus . 2. Method according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube is first entered into the mouth via the nose whereafter the head part is mounted and then swallowed. 3. Method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that exactly known volumes of liquid or gas are delivered or aspirated during short time(s) or continuously. 4. Method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that an exact amount of powdered substance, contained in the head part, is administered by means of liquid or gas pressed through the tube and the head part. 5. Method according to any one of the claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that signals are transmitted via the tube or via wireless signalling from the gut for measurement of physico-chemical parameters before, during or after administration or aspiration of liquid, gas, or powder, allowing construction of profiles for the measured parameters along the gut or for starting or stopping delivery of liquid, gas, or powder. 6. Method according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r ! z e d in that said signalling and construction of profiles are carried out without administration or aspiration. 7. Method according to any one of claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that absorption profiles along the gut are constructed by measurement of concentrations in body fluids after repeated administration of substances in dissolved or powdered form. 8. Method according to any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part and tube are allowed to stay in the gut for a long time (>24 hours) . 9. Device for performance of the method described in any one of claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said device comprises a firm head part (1) through which runs a bore (2) or cavity (6) and to which a tube (3) is fastened which is in fluid connection with the bore (2) or cavity (6), the diameter of said head part (1) being larger than that of said tube (3) . 10. Device according to claim 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part (1) is X-ray opaque. 11. Device according to any one of claims 9 or 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part (1) is floating in water. 12. Device according to any one of claims 9-11 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube (3) is made of a flexible polymer, such as polyethene. 13. Device according to any one of claims 9-12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said tube (3) has scale marks indicating the distance from the lips or nostrils down to the position of the head part (1) . 14. Device according to any one of claims 9-13, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said head part (1) has a length of 1-4 cm and a breadth of 1-2 cm. 15. Device according to claim 14, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part (1) has a length of 2-3 cm and a breadth of about 1 cm. 16. Device according to any one of claims 9-15, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said tube (3) has an outer diameter of 0.4 - 1 mm, an inner diameter of at least 0.2 mm, and a wall thickness of at least C.l mm. 17. Device according to claim 16, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube (3) has an outer diameter of 0.5 - C.7 mm, an inner diameter of 0.25 - 0.35 mm and a wall thickness of about 0.15 mm. 18. Device according to any one of claims 9-17, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube (3) in its external end is designed to be tightly connected by an interface (4) to an apparatus (5) for propelling or sucking liquid or gas. 19. Device according to claim 18, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube (3) in its external end has an interface (4) which is a Luer-Lok® connection. 20. Device according to any one of claims 9-19, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said tube (3) in its other end has an arrangement for mooring said head part (1) in a desired position by fixing the tube (3) at the entrance into the body or outside the body. 21. Device according to any one of claims 9-20, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part (1) is externally delimited by flexible walls which can be pierced leading to collapse of the head part. 22. Device to any one of claims 9-12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said head part (1) in a cavity (6) contains powdered substance protected from the environment by a membrane (7) which can be removed by the pressure from liquid or gas supplied through the tube (3) , thereby also releasing the powder into the gastrointestinal tract. 23. Device according to any one of claims 9-22, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part (1) carries sensor (s) for registration of physico-chemical parameters. 24. Device according to claim 23, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube (3) contains conductor (s) making feasible electrical or optical signal transmittance. 25. Device according to claim 23, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the head part (1) carriers transmitter (s) for telemetric transmission to a receiver outside the body.

Inventors: LINDSTROEM KJELL, MAANSSON WIKING, NYBERG LARS, LINDSTROEM, KJELL, MAANSSON, WIKING, NYBERG, LARS
Applicants: LINDSTROEM KJELL, MAANSSON WIKING, NYBERG LARS, LINDSTROEM, KJELL, MAANSSON, WIKING, NYBERG, LARS
Application year: 1996
Main classification: A61B1
IPC codes: A61B5, A61J15, A61M25, A61M31