Method and apparatus for delivering a drug

Abstract

In the specification and drawings a method and apparatus for delivering a drug into a nasal turbinate or nasal polyp is described and shown, which can include implanting a drug eluting implant into a nasal turbinate or nasal polyp; and leaving the drug eluting material in the nasal turbinate or nasal polyp for at least one day such that a drug is released from the drug eluting implant over a period of time.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method for delivering a drug into nasal tissue comprising:
 a) placing a drug eluting implant into a needle of a syringe;   b) inserting the needle at an anterior end of a nasal turbinate;   c) inserting the needle into a submucosal plane of the turbinate;   d) implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate; and   e) withdrawing the needle from the turbinate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said placing a drug eluting implant into a needle of a syringe further comprises placing a slow release poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold into the needle of the syringe. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate further comprises implanting a slow release poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold into the submucosal plane of the turbinate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate further comprises depressing a plunger of the syringe such that an ejector connected to the plunger ejects the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising simultaneously performing said depressing a plunger of the syringe such that an ejector connected to the plunger ejects the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate and said withdrawing the needle from the turbinate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate further comprises implanting the drug eluting implant into an inferior turbinate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate further comprises implanting a steroid eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate further comprises implanting an antihistamine eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate further comprises implanting a steroid eluting implant into the submucosal plane of the turbinate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising leaving the drug eluting implant in the submucosal plane of the turbinate for at least one day. 
     
     
         11 . A method for delivering a drug into nasal tissue comprising:
 a) placing a drug eluting implant into a needle of a syringe;   b) inserting the needle into a nasal polyp;   c) implanting the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp; and   d) withdrawing the needle from the nasal polyp.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said placing a drug eluting implant into a needle of a syringe further comprises placing a slow release poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold into the needle of the syringe. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp further comprises implanting a slow release poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) scaffold into the nasal polyp. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp further comprises depressing a plunger of the syringe such that an ejector connected to the plunger ejects the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising simultaneously performing said depressing a plunger of the syringe such that an ejector connected to the plunger ejects the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp and said withdrawing the needle from the nasal polyp. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp further comprises implanting a steroid eluting implant into the nasal polyp. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp further comprises implanting an antihistamine eluting implant into the nasal polyp. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said implanting the drug eluting implant into the nasal polyp further comprises implanting a steroid eluting implant into the nasal polyp. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising leaving the drug eluting implant in the nasal polyp for at least one day. 
     
     
         20 . A method for delivering a drug into nasal tissue comprising:
 a) implanting a drug eluting material into a nasal turbinate; and   b) leaving the drug eluting material in the nasal turbinate for at least one day.   
     
     
         21 . A method for delivering a drug into nasal tissue comprising:
 a) implanting a drug eluting material into a nasal polyp; and   b) leaving the drug eluting material in the nasal polyp for at least one day.