UMJ-134 – Injectable Formulation of Gas Anesthetics

Problem: Volatilegas anesthetics include, among other compounds, a family of halogenated ethersthat are highly hydrophobic liquids at room temperature, wherein the anestheticpotency is directly proportional to the lipid solubility of the volatile gasanesthetic. When exposed to ambient air, volatile gas anesthetics quicklyevaporate depending on their temperature or latent heat of vaporization. Themost commonly used volatile gas anesthetics at the present time are isoflurane,sevoflurane, and desflurane. Currently,the only method of delivery, i.e., uptake and distribution, of vaporizedvolatile gas anesthetics is via inhalation into the lungs of a patient via aclosed or open breathing circuit consisting of plastic tubing, face mask,laryngeal mask airway or endotracheal tube, producing induction and maintenanceof an artificial, reversible state of unconsciousness or general anesthesia.The delivery of one or more volatile gas anesthetics via inhalation iscurrently widely used, however, this requires the use of expensive andspecialized equipment and instrumentation to vaporize the volatile gasanesthetic, which is supplied in a liquid state, and to mix or dilute withother gases, such as, oxygen or compressed air, in order to yield therapeutic,but non-toxic concentrations of anesthetic(s) . Instruments to detect andanalyze concentrations of the anesthetic(s) in exhaled gas, such as infraredgas analyzers, are also used in conjunction with inhalation anesthesia. Thus, a number of benefits may be realized fromstable liquid formulations of volatile gas anesthetics including but notlimited to eliminating the need for inhalation of volatile gas anesthetics viathe patient’s airway, as well as rendering the administration of numerousagents in order to induce and/or maintain a desired state of anesthesia in apatient unnecessary. Technology: Researchers at theUniversity of Miami have developed a stableliquid nanoemulsion of volatile gas anesthetics, such as, isoflurane orsevoflurane, which is effective in inducing and maintaining a state ofanesthesia and/or general anesthesia in a patient. Peter Gutenberg pxg372@miami.edu 305-243-4604