초록 ▼

An infected nail of a digit of a patient is treated using apparatus including an enclosure capable of housing at least a distal end of at least one digit of a patient having an infected nail. The apparatus also includes a heater and a nail infection agent-containing member housed within the enclosur

An infected nail of a digit of a patient is treated using apparatus including an enclosure capable of housing at least a distal end of at least one digit of a patient having an infected nail. The apparatus also includes a heater and a nail infection agent-containing member housed within the enclosure and positionable against an infected nail at the distal end of a digit housed within the enclosure. The heater is in heat-transfer relationship with the nail infection agent. In this way heated nail infection agent can be maintained against an infected nail by the nail infection agent-containing member.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for treating an infected nail of a digit of a patient comprising: an enclosure that functions to (i) house at least a distal end of at least one digit of a patient having an infected nail; and (ii) contain a nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member co

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for treating an infected nail of a digit of a patient comprising: an enclosure that functions to (i) house at least a distal end of at least one digit of a patient having an infected nail; and (ii) contain a nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member comprising a nail infection agent and positionable against the infected nail at the distal end of the digit housed within the enclosure; a heater member maintained against and in a heat-transfer relationship with the nail infection agent; whereby the heated nail infection agent is adapted to be applied to and maintained against the infected nail by the nail infection agent-containing member for a therapeutically effective period of time; and, a pressure application component specifically designed to provide a localized pressure that forces (i) the heater member against the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member and (ii) the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member against the infected nail; wherein, the application of pressure facilitates maintaining the nail infection agent against the infected nail for the therapeutically effective period of time; wherein, the pressure application component adjustably attaches the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member, and the heater member, within the enclosure to allow for an adjustment of the position of the members, wherein the adjustment is a movement of the members relative to a dorsal surface of the infected nail to provide the localized application of pressure on the infected nail; whereby, the apparatus facilitates a trans-keratin drug delivery of the nail infection agent through the infected nail in a dark, warm, and moist environment that prevents the growth of fungi in the infected nail. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a supply of the nail infection agent operably coupled to the agent-containing member for supplying and re-supplying the agent-containing member with the nail infection agent during the treating of the infected nail. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the nail infection agent comprises a flowable, aqueous nail infection agent that functions as a keratolytic agent. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the enclosure comprises a means for housing at least the distal end of the at least one digit of the patient having the infected nail; the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge is configured to be placed in contact with the infected nail using means, within the housing means, for positioning the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge against the infected nail at the distal end of the digit housed within the enclosure; and the heater member comprises means for heating the nail infection agent, whereby the heating means is maintained against and in a heat-transfer relationship with the nail infection agent; whereby, the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge functions to maintain the heated nail infection agent against the infected nail for a therapeutically effective period of time; and, whereby, the apparatus facilitates a trans-keratin drug delivery of the nail infection agent through the infected nail in a dark, warm, and moist environment that prevents the growth of fungi in the infected nail. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising means for restraining the aqueous nail infection agent from coming into contact with the patient's skin. 6. The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising means for supplying the nail infection agent-containing member with the nail infection agent while the distal end of the digit is housed within the enclosure. 7. The apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising means for restraining the aqueous nail infection agent from escaping from the enclosure. 8. A method for treating an infected nail of a digit of a patient comprising: obtaining the apparatus of claim 1; housing within the enclosure at least the distal end of at least the one digit of the patient having the infected nail; contacting the infected nail with the nail infection agent by positioning the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge against the dorsal surface of the infected nail; enhancing the penetration of the nail infection agent into the infected nail by maintaining the heater against and in a heat-transfer relationship with the nail infection agent thereby heating the nail infection agent; and maintaining the heated nail infection agent against the infected nail for a therapeutically effective time period; whereby, the method facilitates a trans-keratin drug delivery of the nail infection agent through the infected nail in a dark, warm, and moist environment that prevents the growth of fungi in the infected nail. 9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising restraining the nail infection agent from coming into contact with the patient's skin. 10. The method according to claim 8 further comprising supplying the agent-containing member with the nail infection agent while the digit is housed within the enclosure. 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the contacting step is carried out by first applying a keratolytic agent to open the nail structure and then applying the nail infection agent to the dorsal surface of the infected nail. 12. A system for treating an infected nail, comprising: a drug delivery mechanism comprising a nail infection agent and a heater for heating the nail infection agent, wherein the heater has a surface adapted for contacting, and conducting heat into, a nail infection agent-containing member or sponge that is positionable for direct contact with an infected nail of a digit of a subject; and, an enclosure for housing and releasably attaching the drug delivery mechanism to the digit having the infected nail and maintaining the direct contact between the heating element and the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member containing the nail infection agent, wherein the maintaining includes applying a localized pressure that forces (i) the heater member against the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member and (ii) the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member against the infected nail for a therapeutically effective period of time; wherein the enclosure comprises a pressure application component, the pressure application component adjustably attaches the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member, and the heater member, within the enclosure to allow for an adjustment of the position of the members, wherein the adjustment is a movement of the members relative to a dorsal surface of the infected nail to provide the localized application of pressure on the infected nail; and wherein, the system facilitates a trans-keratin drug delivery of the nail infection agent through the infected nail in a dark, warm, and moist environment that prevents the growth of fungi in the infected nail. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the heating element heats the nail infection agent to a temperature of about 45° C. at the dorsal surface of the nail. 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the nail infection agent comprises a keratolytic agent. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the keratolytic agent comprises salicylic acid. 16. A method of treating an infected nail of a subject, wherein the method comprises: obtaining the system of claim 12; applying the nail infection agent to the dorsal surface of the infected nail using a nail-infection-agent-containing member or sponge for receiving and delivering the anti-infective agent to the infected nail; releasably attaching the enclosure to the digit having the infected nail, wherein the releasably attaching includes contacting the nail-infection-agent-containing member or sponge with the dorsal surface of the infected nail; and, applying heat to the nail infection agent by maintaining contact between the nail-infection-agent-containing member or sponge and the heating element for a therapeutically effective treatment time wherein, the method facilitates a trans-keratin drug delivery of the nail infection agent through the infected nail in a dark, warm, and moist environment that prevents the growth of fungi in the infected nail. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the heating element maintains a temperature of about 45° C. at the dorsal surface of the nail. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the applying comprises treating the infected nail with a keratolytic agent. 19. An apparatus for treating a digit having an infected nail, wherein the apparatus comprises an enclosure and a heated drug delivery mechanism having a nail-infection-agent-containing member or sponge, a heating element, and a pressure application component; wherein, the nail-infection-agent-containing member or sponge member, and the heating member, are adjustably attached to the pressure application component, wherein the pressure application component comprises a toe harness for supporting the plantar surface of the digit having the infected nail and an agent harness in a position opposing the toe harness, wherein the agent harness functions to hold the nail-infection-agent-containing member or sponge member; a movement of the agent harness relative to the toe harness functions to apply a pressure to the dorsal surface of the infected nail, contact the dorsal surface of the infected nail with the infection-agent-containing member or sponge member, and releasably attach the digit having the infected nail to the apparatus for a therapeutically effective period of time; wherein, the pressure application component is specifically designed to provide a localized pressure that (i) forces the heating member against the nail infection agent-containing member or sponge member to created the heated drug delivery mechanism, and (ii) forces the heated drug delivery mechanism against the infected nail to maintain the nail infection agent against the infected nail for the therapeutically effective period of time; and, the enclosure (i) contains the heated drug delivery mechanism and (ii) facilitates a trans-keratin drug delivery of the nail infection agent through the infected nail in a dark, warm, and moist environment that prevents the growth of fungi in the infected nail.