초록
Transdermal and topical drug delivery with minimal tissue damage has been an area of vigorous research for a number of years. Our research team has initiated the development of an effective method for delivering drug particles across the skin (transdermal) for systemic circulation, and to localized (topical) areas. The device consists of a micro particle acceleration system based on laser ablation that can be integrated with endoscopic surgical techniques. A layer of micro particles is deposited on the surface of a thin metal foil. The rear side of the foil is irradiated with a laser beam, which generates a shockwave that travels through the foil. When the shockwave reaches the end of the foil, it is reflected as an expansion wave and causes instantaneous deformation of the foil in the opposite direction. Due to this sudden deformation, the microparticles are ejected from the foil at very high speeds, and therefore have sufficient momentum to penetrate soft body tissues. We have demonstrated this by successfully delivering cobalt particles $3\;{\mu}m$ in diameter into gelatin models that represent soft tissue with remarkable penetration depth.