Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.a.

Raffaele Dellaca

Ilaria Milesi

Emanuela Zannin

Roger Fane Sewell

Donal Joseph Taylor

Mario Di Cecio

A device () for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the administration of a liquid medicament to a spontaneously breathing patient. The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows optimizing the dispensing said medicaments. In particular the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to preterm patients.

Device for facilitating the administration of a medicament to the lung by a catheter

A device () for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the delivery of liquid medicament to spontaneously breathing patient, including: &#x2014;an elongated main body () shaped to follow the internal shape of the patient's upper airways, the elongated main body () being provided with guiding means () adapted to house a catheter; &#x2014;a substantially ring-shaped terminal element () adapted to engage the internal wall of the patient's retro-pharynx, the substantially ring-shaped terminal element () being connected to the elongated main body () by means of at least one spoke (), the substantially ring-shaped element () and the at least one spoke () creating a chamber where the medicament can be delivered through the catheter.

The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows an effective delivery of aerosolized medicament (e.g., a surfactant) to the patient's lungs. According to a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention provides an efficient delivery of the aerosol medicament (possibly breath synchronized). A glass vial in which medicaments are usually stored and shipped is used directly as a component of the system. Its function in the system is that of an intermittently pressurized chamber that can inject the surfactant into the catheter of the atomizer device. According to a preferred embodiment the delivery can be done in phase with the beginning of each inspiration. The main elements of the system are: a source of compressed gas, the already mentioned medicament vial, a catheter, and optionally means to detect the breathing pattern and a control unit.

Method and system for delivery of an aerosolized medicament

The system allows optimizing the dispensing of aerosol medicaments. In particular the system allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to very young patients (e.g. preterm neonates). A catheter () conveys atomized surfactant directly to the retropharyngeal region in order to increase efficiency of the medicament administration without being invasive: this is particularly important for very young patients, such as pre-term born neonates suffering from neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). The catheter is made of biocompatible flexible material (e.g. plastic material). It is possible to couple the catheter with a rigid scaffolding (e.g. metallic) to increase stiffness of the device and to improve easiness of positioning operations. The delivery of the atomized medicament is done by means of an air blasting technique.

Method and system for the administration of a pulmonary surfactant by atomization

A method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows optimizing the dispensing of aerosol medicaments. In particular the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to very young patients (e.g. preterm neonates). A catheterconveys atomized surfactant directly to the retro-pharyngeal region in order to increase efficiency of the medicament administration without being invasive: this is particularly important for very young patients, such as pre-term born neonates suffering from neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the catheter is made of biocompatible flexible material (e.g. plastic material). It is possible to couple the catheter with a rigid scaffolding (e.g. metallic) to increase stiffness of the device and to improve easiness of positioning operations. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the delivery of the atomized medicament is done by means of an air blasting technique.

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Parma, Italy

Raffaele Dellaca