Out-of-plane microtube arrays for drug delivery--liquid flow properties and an application to the nerve block test.
We have proposed fabricating very fine out-of-plane silicon-dioxide microtube arrays using a selective vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth technique and microfabrication processes. In this study, we elucidated the liquid-flow properties of microtubes with different inner diameters. Our fabricated microtubes were 0.5 microm in wall thickness; 20 microm in height; and either 2.5 microm, 4.1 microm, 4.6 microm, or 6.4 microm in inner diameter. We determined the relationship between the flow pressure and the liquid flow rate through the microtube. We also conducted a nerve block test, in which a microtube with 4.6 microm inner diameter was used to administer lidocaine solution (Na channel blocker) to the rat sciatic nerve. This successful test represents the first reported use of a microtube for drug delivery to the peripheral nerve of a rat. We conclude that the proposed microtube array and its fabrication process might contribute to developing pharmacological devices.
Takei
Kuniharu
K
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi, 441-8580, Japan. takei@dev.eee.tut.ac.jp
Kawashima
Takahiro
T
Kawano
Takeshi
T
Kaneko
Hidekazu
H
Sawada
Kazuaki
K
Ishida
Makoto
M
D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D055616:Microtechnology; D009407:Nerve Block; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D018030:Silver Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D018030:Silver Compounds; D012834:Silver; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D008012:Lidocaine; C037548:silver chloride