Implantable device uses ultrasound to improve drug delivery to the brain
Patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive type of brain tumor, usually undergo surgery to remove the tumor. However, it's difficult for surgeons to remove all of the cancer cells, and the tumor often recurs.
A new implantable device developed by researchers at MIT could improve drug delivery to the brain for patients with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain tumor. The device, called LUCID (Long-term Ultrasound-enhanced Convective Injection Device), uses ultrasound transducers to help drugs spread farther through the brain and bypass the blood-brain barrier.
LUCID consists of a reservoir that releases drugs over an extended period and an array of 24 ultrasound transducers that generate sound waves to enhance drug distribution. A wireless controller can program the device to deliver the exact dosage of ultrasound needed to improve drug therapy. In tests using tissue models and mice, the device allowed molecules to spread further than when delivered without ultrasound.
The researchers hope that LUCID could help prevent the recurrence of glioblastoma, which has a survival rate of 12 to 15 months after diagnosis.
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