Active Er-laser drug delivery using drug-impregnated gel for treatment of nail diseases.

Abstract

Active Er-laser drug delivery under the nail plate using a drug-impregnated gel containing liquid methylene blue clusters is demonstrated for the first time. The effect of the agar-agar concentration in the gel and the gel plate thickness on the number of Er:YLF-laser pulses required for formation of a through microhole in the gel and in the nail plate with subsequent active drug delivery is discussed. The influence of the laser pulse energy, the gel plate thickness, and the external pressure applied to the gel on the rate of delivery of methylene blue under the nail plate through a single microhole in it is investigated. It is shown that with a laser pulse energy of 4.0 ± 0.1 mJ, the delivery rate can reach 0.024 ± 0.004 mg/pulse.

• Authors: Andrey V Belikov, Anastasia D Tavalinskaya, Sergey N Smirnov, Andrey N Sergeev
• Journal: Biomedical optics express (Biomed Opt Express) Vol. 10 Issue 7 Pg. 3232-3240 (Jul 01 2019) ISSN: 2156-7085 [Print] United States
• PMID: 31467776 (Publication Type: Journal Article)