INGESTIBLE CAPSULE FOR THE PHOTOTHERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF INFECTIONS

Abstract

An ingestible capsule arranged, in use, to cross a human stomach for carrying out a phototherapic 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 phototherapic wave having a wavelength .sub.1, at least one auxiliary light source arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapic wave having a wavelength .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 .sub.1 and .sub.2, a control unit arranged to selectively activate said or each primary light source and/or said or each auxiliary light source, and at least one energy source arranged to provide energy for feeding said control unit and/or said light sources. In particular, 400 nm<.sub.1<525 nm and 525 nm<.sub.2<650 nm. Furthermore, said control unit is configured to receive an information of position reporting in real time an area of said stomach crossed by said ingestible capsule; to determine, known said information of position, a wavelength, a dosage and a duration of administration of said electromagnetic phototherapic waves for an optimal phototherapic treatment of said area of said stomach; to selectively activate said or each primary light source and/or said or each auxiliary light source to provide said optimal phototherapic treatment of said area of said stomach.

Claims

1. An ingestible capsule arranged, in use, to cross a human stomach for carrying out a phototherapic 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 phototherapic wave having a wavelength .sub.1; at least one auxiliary light source arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapic wave having a wavelength .sub.2; a wrapper arranged to contain said or each primary light source (110) and said or each auxiliary light source, said wrapper being at least partially transparent to said wavelengths .sub.1 and .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; said wavelength .sub.1 and .sub.2 being such that 400 nm<.sub.1<525 nm and 525 nm<.sub.2<650 nm; said ingestible capsule characterized in that said control unit is also arranged to: receive an information of position reporting in real time an area of said stomach crossed by said ingestible capsule; determine, known said information of position, a wavelength, a dosage and a duration of administration said electromagnetic phototherapic waves for an optimal phototherapic 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 phototherapic treatment of said area of said stomach.

2. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein .sub.2625 nm and .sub.1500 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 phototherapic waves to allow a lower consumption of the energy supplied by said energy source.

4. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein a detector of pH is also provided configured to measure the level of pH in the environment surrounding said ingestible capsule to provide said information of position to said control unit.

5. The ingestible capsule, according to claim 1, wherein an inertial sensor is also provided arranged to determine linear and angular speed and acceleration of said ingestible capsule to provide said information of position to said control unit.

6. 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.

7. 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.

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

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] 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:

[0064] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of the ingestible capsule, according to the present invention, wherein 4 light sources are provided;

[0065] FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the ingestible capsule, according to the present invention, wherein a plurality of light sources is provided;

[0066] 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

[0067] 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 phototherapic wave having a wavelength .sub.1 and two auxiliary light sources 120 arranged to emit an electromagnetic phototherapic wave having a wavelength .sub.2. The ingestible capsule 100 then comprises a wrapper 130 at least partially transparent to the wavelengths .sub.1 and .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.

[0068] 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.