Development of Jet-injection Nozzles for Blood Release

Abstract

Needle-free jet injection is a drug delivery technique that uses a high–speed stream of liquid drug to penetrate skin and deliver the liquid into underlying tissues. The shape of the nozzle through which the jet is created has an impact on jet shape, and on the shape of the resulting tissue incision. In some cases, jet injection through the skin can result in the release of blood from the capillary network. Here, we use modelling and measurement techniques to investigate the dependence of jet injection on the nozzle shape with a voice-coil actuated jet injector. We predict the shape and speed of fluid jets from a variety of nozzle designs, capture high speed video of the jet shape in air from four custom-made nozzles, and evaluate the potential of each nozzle to disrupt capillaries in skin by injecting tissue marking dye into post-mortem porcine tissue.