The NeuroMedicator—a micropump integrated with silicon microprobes for drug delivery in neural research

The NeuroMedicator is a micropump integrated with application-specific silicon microprobes aimed for drug delivery in neural research with small animals. The micropump has outer dimensions of 11 × 15 × 3 mm3 and contains 16 reservoirs each having a capacity of 0.25 µL. Thereby, the reservoirs are interconnected in a pearl-chain-like manner and are connected to two 8 mm long silicon microprobes. Each microprobe has a cross-sectional area of 250 × 250 µm2 and features an integrated drug delivery channel of 50 × 50 µm2 with an outlet of 25 µm in diameter. The drug is loaded to the micropump prior to implantation. After implantation, individual 0.25 µL portions of drug can be sequentially released by short heating pulses applied to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer containing Expancel® microspheres. Due to local, irreversible thermal expansion of the elastic composite material, the drug is displaced from the reservoirs and released through the microprobe outlet directly to the neural tissue. While implanted, leakage of drug by diffusion occurs due to the open microprobe outlets. The maximum leakage within the first three days after implantation is calculated to be equivalent to 0.06 µL of drug solution.

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