System for implanting, activating, and operating an implantable battery

Abstract

The present invention is apparatus, systems, and methods for the treatment of bone, cartilage and other types of hard tissue. The treatments, which are suitable for extended treatment, include the treatment and prevention of pathologies through the controllable use of silver, iron, zinc, or magnesium ions. These pathologies may include a pathology which is at least partially induced or aggravated by an infectious disease, for example a bacterial disease. In this case the electrically released ions are silver ions, which are known to have antibacterial properties.

1 . An apparatus for activating and operating an implantable battery inside a human or animal body, said apparatus comprising:
 (a) at least two electrodes adapted to be implanted in said body, said electrodes including at least one active electrode composed of a metallic material and at least one passive electrode composed of a material whose electrical potential is negative relative to the electrical potential of said active electrode; and   (b) a power source for application of current to the at least one active electrode to cause release of metallic ions from said active electrode; and   (c) a control unit for automatically controlling the output of said power source in order to control the release of said metallic ions.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active electrode comprises one of the following: silver, iron, zinc, or magnesium. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active electrode is made of silver or a silver alloy and the passive electrode is made of gold or platinum. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit initiates an initial application of current by the power source for one or more limited periods of time and wherein the metallic ions continue to be released from the active electrode after said limited periods of time. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the level of current applied to the active electrode is determined by the type of tissue into which the active electrode is implanted and the type of pathology of said tissue and the electrical properties of the electrodes. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the active electrode is a pin made of metallic silver which is stably implanted in a bone and the passive electrode functions as an accessory, which facilitates a very slow release of silver ions from said silver pin to maintain a long term bactericidal effect around said silver pin thereby allowing said silver pin to serve the mechanical function of acting as an antibacterial protected fiducial marker 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit comprises one or more of the following components:
 a resistance meter adapted to measure the resistance between the active and the passive electrodes and/or to measure the resistance between said active electrode and a body site in order to determine the location of said passive electrode;   a voltmeter adapted to measure the voltage difference between said active and said passive electrodes;   a processor adapted to control the supply of applied current by comparing measured values of the metallic ion current from said active electrode to a pre-set threshold and activating the power source to increase the release of ions if said measured metallic ion current is lower than said threshold;   a memory component to store the data recorded and/or measured by the components of said control unit;   a transmitter/receiver component for communication with a remote processing and display subsystem; and   a housing containing all the components of said controller.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the power source is located within the housing of the control unit and said power source is adapted to supply a starting or maintenance current to release ions from the active electrode and to supply electrical power to other components of the control unit. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the remote processing and display subsystem comprises a monitor, input/output device, and software. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control unit and the power source are adapted for implantation in one or more of the following locations inside the body: subcutaneously, muscle, fat, hard tissue, bone, and cartilage. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom center of the housing of the control unit comprises a projection having threads on its outer surface, thereby allowing said control unit to be attached to hard tissue. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the passive electrode is created on the surface of the housing by coating a part of said surface with a layer of the metallic material of said passive electrode and the remainder of said surface is coated with an electrically insulating material, thereby eliminating the need for a separate passive electrode. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for implanting an active electrode in hard tissue, said apparatus comprised of:
 i. a rigid base plate and a rigid platform that are connected by an axle and a rotation mechanism such that said platform may be rotated around said axis relative to said plate;   ii. a trocar rigidly attached to and projecting downward from the bottom of said base plate;   iii. two vertical holes bored through said rigid platform, wherein said holes are located on said platform such that, when said platform is rotated around a vertical axis passing through said axle said holes may be brought to a position in which they are co-axial with a channel in the center of said trocar;   iv. two hollow vertical posts rigidly attached to the top surface of said platform such that the channel through each of them is coaxial with said holes respectively;   v. a shaft, which passes through the first of said posts, wherein the distal end of said shaft is either a hardened pointed to form an orthopedic punch or has spiral grooves machined into it forming a drill tip, wherein said shaft is used to create a hole in said hard tissue into which said active electrode is implanted; and   vi. a pusher which passes through the second of said posts; wherein said active electrode is located at the distal end of said pusher.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the diameter of the hole that is created in the hard tissue and the diameter of active electrode are related to each other such that, when said electrode is inserted into said hole, said hard tissue will push against the sides of said electrode, holding it in place even before said tissue begins to re-grow around said electrode. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein mechanical and electrical contact between each of the active and passive electrodes and an electrically conducting wires is achieved by creating a contact surface on an end of said electrode and creating a matching contact surface on the end of said conducting wire, positioning said contact surfaces adjacent to each other, and sliding a tight fitting sheath of insulating material over said contact surfaces at the end of said wire and said electrode thereby pressing said matching contact surfaces together. 
     
     
         18 . A method of treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, said method comprising the steps of:
 a. implanting a silver electrode at the location of the actual or potential infection;   b. connecting electrically said silver electrode with a first terminal of a resistance meter;   c. connecting electrically a needle made from a biocompatible material having the same electrical potential or a negative electrical potential with respect to silver to a second terminal of said resistance meter;   d. touching the skin with said needle at a spot near said silver electrode and measuring the resistance of the path from said silver electrode to said needle;   e. repeating step d at different locations until the path having the lowest resistance is found and marking the corresponding location of said needle;   f. repeating steps d and e to locate one or more additional corresponding locations, if desired;   g. disconnecting said resistance meter from said silver electrode and removing said resistance meter and said needle;   h. implanting a passive electrode made from said biocompatible material subcutaneously at each of said corresponding locations;   i. connecting electrically one terminal of an electrical power source to said silver electrode and the second terminal of said current source to a first one of said passive electrodes, thereby initiating the release of silver ions by applying a small current between said silver electrode and said first one of said passive electrodes;   j. disconnecting said second terminal of said power source from said first one of said passive electrodes;   k. repeating steps i and j for each of said other passive electrodes.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein some or all of steps b to g and i to k are carried out using the apparatus of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for treatment and prevention of infectious diseases in a hard tissue surrounded by at least a portion of a soft tissue, said apparatus comprising: a. a trocar for insertion to said soft tissue and said hard tissue and for creating an opening in said soft tissue and said hard tissue; b. a punch for insertion through said opening in said soft tissue and said hard tissue, and for deepening said opening in said hard tissue; c. a pusher; d. a silver electrode for entering said opening in soft tissue and said opening in said hard tissue through pushing by said pusher; e. a temporary electrode for entering said opening in soft tissue and said opening in said hard tissue through pushing by said pusher on top of said silver electrode; f. a needle made from a biocompatible substance having a negative electrical potential with respect to silver; g. one or more second electrodes made from the same material as said needle for insertion through said soft tissue at a location separated from said opening in said soft tissue; and h. a conductivity meter attached to said needle;
 Wherein upon contacting said needle to said soft tissue, said conductivity meter provides a reading for determining said location for said one or more second electrodes.   
     
     
         21 . A method of treatment and prevention of infectious diseases, said method comprising the stages of boring a hole into a bone or a joint; implanting a small silver electrode into said hole; placing a temporary electrode in said hole, on top of and in intimate contact with said silver electrode; connecting electrically said temporary electrode with a first terminal of a conductivity meter; connecting electrically a needle made from a biocompatible substance having a negative electrical potential with respect to silver to a second terminal of said conductivity meter; touching the skin with said needle at a location near said hole and measuring the conductivity of the path from said silver electrode to said needle; repeating said touching the skin with said needle at different locations until the path having the highest conductivity is found and marking the corresponding location of said needle; repeating said touching the skin with said needle at least once more to locate one or more additional corresponding locations, if desired; disconnecting said conductivity meter from said temporary electrode and removing said conductivity meter and said needle; embedding a second small electrode made from said biocompatible material subcutaneously at each of said corresponding locations; connecting electrically one terminal of a D.C. voltage source to the temporary electrode and the second terminal of said D. C. voltage source to a first one of said second electrodes, thereby initiating the release of silver ions by applying a small current between said silver electrode and said first one of said second electrodes; disconnecting said second terminal of said D.C. voltage source from said first one of said second electrodes; repeating said connecting electrically one terminal of a D.C. voltage source to the temporary electrode and said disconnecting said second terminal for each of said other second electrodes; and removing said temporary electrode and said D.C. voltage source.