Two novel systems used to administer substances to the inner ear are being developed, including a polymer matrix containing the drug of interest and a minuscule pump to deliver treatment to damaged cilia.

The Scientific American reports on new methods being developed to reach the highly intricate and sensitive inner ear. As the article explains, the inner ear is a bony, membrane-lined labyrinth measuring no more than a few cubic millimeters, making it practically impossible to reach the structures through surgery.

According to Dr. Robert Jackler, a Stanford University School of Medicine otologist-neurotologist who specializes in complex ear diseases, it is very difficult to get the right amount of drug to the right place. “We’ve tried directed medication when treating hearing disorders but the way we do it today is very imprecise and poorly calibrated,” he says.

Researchers have now started testing a polymer matrix gel that can be loaded with chemical compounds to treat inner ear disorders. The idea is that the polymer can be injected into the middle ear where it will release the active substance directly into the cochlea. The biodegradable gel will then gradually dissolve in the body.

The second method involves the development of a micropump that would be able to deliver active substances to the inner ear and also to sample fluid from it. This would make it possible to quantify the number of drugs effectively delivered. In time, the aim would be to develop a fully implantable micropump.

Source: Scientific American