Ingestible capsule for the phototherapeutic treatment of infections

Abstract

An ingestible capsule arranged, in use, to cross a human stomach for carrying out a phototherapeutic treatment arranged to combat an infection due to the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, the ingestible capsule comprising at least one primary light source arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapeutic wave having a wavelength λ.sub.1, at least one auxiliary light source arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapeutic wave having a wavelength λ.sub.2, a wrapper arranged to contain the or each primary light source and the or each auxiliary light source, the wrapper being at least partially transparent to the wavelengths λ.sub.1, and λ.sub.2, a control unit arranged to selectively activate the or each primary light source and/or the or each auxiliary light source.

Claims

1. An ingestible capsule arranged, in use, to cross a human stomach for carrying out a phototherapeutic treatment arranged to combat an infection due to the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, said ingestible capsule comprising: at least one primary light source arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapeutic wave having a wavelength λ.sub.1; at least one auxiliary light source arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapeutic wave having a wavelength λ.sub.2; a wrapper arranged to contain said or each primary light source and said or each auxiliary light source, said wrapper being at least partially transparent to said wavelengths λ.sub.1 and λ.sub.2; a control unit arranged to selectively activate said or each primary light source and/or said or each auxiliary light source; at least one energy source arranged to provide energy for feeding said control unit and/or said light sources; a detector of pH configured to measure a level of pH in an environment surrounding said ingestible capsule to provide a first information of position of said ingestible capsule to said control unit; an inertial sensor arranged to determine linear and angular speed and acceleration of said ingestible capsule to provide a second information of position of said ingestible capsule to said control unit: said wavelength λ.sub.1 and λ.sub.2 being such that 400 nm<λ.sub.1<525 nm and 525 nm<λ.sub.2<650 nm; said control unit is also arranged to: receive said first information of position from said detector of pH and said second information of position from said inertial sensor; process said first and second information of position to provide a real-time estimate of an area of said stomach crossed by said ingestible capsule; on the basis of said real-time estimate, determine a wavelength, a dosage and a duration of administration of said electromagnetic phototherapeutic waves for each light source in order to obtain a desired combination of said wavelengths λ.sub.1 and λ.sub.2 and therefore achieve an optimal phototherapeutic treatment of said area of said stomach; selectively activate said or each primary light source and/or said or each auxiliary light source to provide said optimal phototherapeutic treatment of said area of said stomach.

2. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein λ.sub.2≅625 nm and λ.sub.2≅500 nm.

3. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein said control unit is also arranged to receive an information concerning the temperature of said light sources, said information concerning the temperature allowing to determine the duration of administration of said electromagnetic phototherapeutic waves to allow a lower consumption of the energy supplied by said energy source.

4. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein at least one proximity sensor is also provided configured to measure the proximity of a wall of said stomach from said ingestible capsule.

5. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein within said transparent wrapper a diffusive fluid is provided arranged to increase the diffusion of said light sources.

6. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein said transparent wrapper comprises light guides arranged to convey said electromagnetic phototherapeutic waves along predetermined trajectories.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristic and/or advantages of the present invention are more bright with the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the ingestible capsule, according to the present invention, wherein 4 light sources are provided;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the ingestible capsule, according to the present invention, wherein a plurality of light sources is provided;

(4) FIGS. 3A, 3B. 3C and 3D show other exemplary embodiments of the ingestible capsule having different forms and dispositions of the components.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(5) With reference to FIG. 1, in a first exemplary embodiment, the ingestible capsule 100, according to the present invention, comprises two primary light sources 110 arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapeutic wave having a wavelength λ.sub.1 and two auxiliary light sources 120 arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapeutic wave having a wavelength λ.sub.2. The ingestible capsule 100 then comprises a wrapper 130 at least partially transparent to the wavelengths λ.sub.1 and λ.sub.2 and arranged to contain the light sources 110 and 120. They are also present a control unit 140, arranged to selectively activate the light sources 110 and 120, and an energy source 150 arranged to provide energy for feeding the control unit 140 and the light sources 110 and 120.

(6) In FIG. 2 a second exemplary embodiment is shown in which there is a plurality of light sources 110 and 120 alternate to each other along all the perimeter of the capsule. This way, it is very increased the probability that the capsule 100, independently of its position and its orientation inside the stomach, can emit effective light waves, i.e. that reach the desired target for therapy.

(7) In the FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D some exemplary embodiments of the capsule are shown that have different forms of the wrapper 130 and, therefore, different dispositions of the inner components.

(8) The foregoing description some exemplary specific embodiments will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt in various applications the specific exemplary embodiments without further research and without parting from the invention, and, accordingly, it is meant that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiments. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology that is employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.