Development of a Lorentz-force actuated intravitreal jet injector.
Intravitreal injection is a common treatment in ophthalmology, but it can lead to numerous complications. Needle-free jet injection has been shown to successfully deliver fluid to various layers of skin, and, by its nature, may reduce intravitreal injection complications. From injection trials into ex vivo rabbit eyes, we find that needle-free jet injection can be used for intravitreal drug delivery. A custom-designed control scheme, characterized in this study, is crucial to this delivery. The system is capable of delivering 40 µL of fluid to the posterior vitreous humor, with an injection duration less than 100 ms and scleral entry site less than 350 µm in diameter.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. jamesw@mit.edu
James E
JE
White
Jean H
JH
Chang
N Catherine
NC
Hogan
Ian W
IW
Hunter
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007277:Injections, Jet / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D014822:Vitreous Body