An ear medication delivery device for delivering a treatment liquid and retaining the treatment liquid within an ear canal of a patient including a unitary, one piece earplug formed of a soft resilient material including an ear canal engaging portion and an external portion and defining a single int
An ear medication delivery device for delivering a treatment liquid and retaining the treatment liquid within an ear canal of a patient including a unitary, one piece earplug formed of a soft resilient material including an ear canal engaging portion and an external portion and defining a single internal passage therethrough. The external portion includes a major disk and an annular medication applicator receiving portion in fluid communication with the internal passage. The ear canal engaging portion includes at least two minor disks of progressively different size extending outwardly in a generally radial direction. The ear canal engaging portion defines a molded resilient valve unitary with the earplug that is shiftable from a closed position to an open position in either direction under a preselected fluid pressure and that resiliently returns to the closed position below the preselected fluid pressure.
대표청구항▼
1. A method of using an ear medication delivery device, comprising: inserting an earplug device into an ear canal, wherein the earplug device includes a distal end, a proximal end, a fluid lumen extending along a longitudinal axis of the earplug device between the proximal end and the distal end, an
1. A method of using an ear medication delivery device, comprising: inserting an earplug device into an ear canal, wherein the earplug device includes a distal end, a proximal end, a fluid lumen extending along a longitudinal axis of the earplug device between the proximal end and the distal end, and a conformable outer annular convex seal surface positioned radially outward from the fluid lumen, wherein at least a portion of the conformable outer annular convex seal surface sealingly engages with the ear canal; anddelivering a treatment fluid through a flexible fluid delivery tube connected to a tube attachment hub at the proximal end of the earplug device, through the fluid lumen of the earplug device, and to a distal fluid delivery port axially aligned with the longitudinal axis at the distal end of the earplug device, wherein the flexible fluid delivery tube provides a fluid delivery path for said treatment fluid between a fluid supply reservoir and the fluid lumen of the earplug device, the flexible fluid delivery tube having a proximal attachment mechanism for connection with the fluid supply reservoir, and the flexible fluid delivery tube having an overall axial length that is greater than an overall axial length of the earplug device;wherein the earplug device further comprises a fluid drain hole that is configured to drain at least a portion of said treatment fluid in a proximal direction away from an inner ear region after said treatment fluid is dispensed distally of the distal fluid delivery port at the distal end of the earplug device, the fluid drain hole being formed in the conformable outer annular convex seal surface at a position that is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the earplug device, the fluid drain hole having a lateral width that is smaller than a lateral width of the fluid lumen extending along the longitudinal axis of the earplug device. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a fluid pressure within the fluid lumen, adjusting an adjustable seal structure positioned along the fluid lumen of the earplug device from a first position to a second position. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjustable seal structure positioned along the fluid lumen comprises a pressure-relief valve that is configured to relieve a fluid pressure of said treatment fluid in the ear canal. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjustable seal structure positioned along the fluid lumen is a duck-bill valve. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the adjustable seal structure positioned along the fluid lumen is a one-way valve configured to prevent said treatment fluid from passing from the distal end of the earplug device to the proximal end of the earplug device. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the earplug device sealingly engages the ear canal so that said treatment fluid delivered via the fluid delivery tube and the fluid lumen of the earplug device is retained in contact with the ear canal or an eardrum for a selected period of time to provide a therapeutic benefit. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising retaining said treatment fluid in contact with the ear canal or the eardrum of a patient for the selected period of time while the patient moves between various positions. 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising retaining said treatment fluid in contact with the ear canal or the eardrum of a patient during delivery of said treatment fluid through the fluid path while the patient remains in one of a standing position, a sitting position, and a prone position. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the treatment fluid delivered through the flexible fluid delivery tube is a fluid selected from the group consisting of an antibiotic fluid, an antifungal fluid, a steroid fluid, an analgesic fluid, a cleansing fluid, and an irrigation fluid. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the conformable outer annular convex seal surface of the earplug device comprises a pliable, hypoallergenic material. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the conformable outer annular convex seal surface of the earplug device comprises the pliable, hypoallergenic material selected from the group consisting of elastomeric foam, rubber, silicone, silicone putty, vinyl, and acrylic. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the flexible fluid delivery tube is formed of a material that is different from said material of the conformable outer annular convex seal surface. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the conformable outer annular convex seal surface of the earplug device comprises an outer frustoconical shape. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the conformable outer annular convex seal surface of the earplug device comprises an outer spheroidal shape. 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivering the treatment fluid comprises outputting the treatment fluid from the fluid supply reservoir that comprises a syringe and into said fluid delivery path. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said proximal attachment mechanism comprises a luer connector to mate with a corresponding connector of the syringe. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible fluid delivery tube is configured to provide said fluid delivery path from the fluid supply reservoir that is connected to a pump mechanism. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivering the treatment fluid comprises outputting the treatment fluid from the fluid supply reservoir that comprises a delivery bulb and into said fluid delivery path. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein a fluid drain lumen extends proximally from the fluid drain hole formed in the conformable outer annular convex seal surface. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the fluid drain lumen extends side-by-side to the fluid lumen. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the fluid drain lumen extends proximally from the fluid drain hole to a collection reservoir configured to receive said at least a portion of the treatment fluid drained through the drain hole. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the distal fluid delivery port axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the earplug device comprises a distal-most port of the earplug device, and wherein a distal-most end of the fluid drain hole defined in the conformable outer annular convex seal surface is positioned proximally rearward of the distal-most port. 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid drain hole is formed in the conformable outer annular convex seal surface at a position that is laterally offset from the distal fluid delivery port. 24. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid drain hole faces in a direction away from the proximal end of the earplug device such that the fluid drain hole is configured to drain said at least a portion of the treatment fluid in the proximal direction away from the inner ear region. 25. The method of claim 1, wherein the tube attachment hub comprises an exterior circumferential surface that is positioned radially outward from the fluid lumen. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein the tube attachment hub comprises a proximal end opening that is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the earplug device, and wherein the tube attachment hub extends for an axial length that is smaller than the overall axial length of the earplug device. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the earplug device includes the tube attachment hub disposed along the proximal end of the earplug device, the fluid delivery tube being directly connectable with the earplug device via coupling with the tube attachment hub of the earplug device.
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