Apparatus and method for aerosol delivery to the lungs or other locations of the body

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of delivering aerosolized liquid to a location, comprising:
 providing an aerosolizer in fluid communication with a reservoir, said aerosolizer comprising an elongated sleeve member with a proximal end and a distal end, and including 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;   locating the orifice at the location;   providing in the reservoir a liquid to be aerosolized;   pressurizing liquid flowing from the reservoir to the orifice without exposing the pressurized liquid to gas until it exits the orifice; and   passing the pressurized liquid through the helical channel and through the orifice, thereby aerosolizing the pressurized liquid as it encounters ambient air at a pressure lower than a pressure of the pressurized liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location is a target tissue of a patient, and further comprising the step of:
 placing the orifice of the aerosolizer adjacent to the target tissue prior to the step of passing the pressurized liquid through the helical channel and through the orifice.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the target tissue is located in at least one selected from the group consisting of the abdominal cavity, cranial cavity, gastrointestinal tract, paranasal sinus, pelvic cavity, reproductive tract, respiratory tract, thoracic cavity and spinal cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the patient has at least one condition selected from the group consisting of asthma, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, dehydration, diabetes, a genetic disorder, hypoxia, infection, inflammatory disease, osteoporosis, pain, Parkinson's disease, respiratory distress syndrome, and trauma. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the target tissue is located in the lungs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the aerosolizer is inserted into an opening in a patient body. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the opening is a breathing orifice of the patient body. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the breathing orifice comprises a trachea. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the opening is a non-breathing orifice of the patient body. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the opening is an incision in the patient body. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a chemotherapeutic agent in the reservoir;   placing the aerosolizer adjacent to a target tissue in lungs of a patient; and   operating the aerosolizer to produce a chemotherapeutic aerosol;   whereby a chemotherapeutic aerosol is administered to the lungs of the patient.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the chemotherapeutic agent is cisplatin. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of passing the pressurized liquid through the helical channel and through the orifice is performed so that a continuous flow of a predetermined dose of the aerosolized liquid is passed through the orifice. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of passing the pressurized liquid through the helical channel and through the orifice is performed so that discrete bursts of a predetermined dose of the aerosolized liquid are passed through the orifice.