Experimental and modelling characterisation of adjustable hollow Micro-needle delivery systems

Hollow micro-needles have been used increasingly less in practice because the infusion into the skin is limited by the tissue resistance to flow. The relationship between the infusion flow rate and tissue resistance pressure is not clear.

A custom-made, hollow micro-needle system was used in this study. The driving force and infusion flow rate were measured using a force transducer attached to an infusion pump. Evans blue dye was injected into the air, polyacrylamide gel and in-vivo mouse skin at different flow rates. Two different micro-needle lengths were used for in-vivo infusion into the mouse. A model was derived to calculate the driving force of the micro-needle infusion into the air, and the results were compared to experimental data.

The calculated driving forces match the experimental results with different infusion flow rates. The pressure loss throughout the micro-needle delivery system was found to be two orders smaller than the resistance pressure inside the gel and mouse skin, and the resistance pressure increased with increasing flow rate. A portion of liquid backflow was observed when the flow rate was relatively larger, and the backflow was associated with a sudden larger increase in resistance pressure at a higher flow rate.

The current micro-needle delivery system is capable of administering liquid into the mouse skin at a flow rate of up to 0.15 ml/min, without causing significant backflow on the surface. The resistance pressure increases with increasing flow rate, causing infusion restriction at higher flow rates.