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Updated: Jan 20, 2026

Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions
Published on: April 5, 2022
Drug Release Property of Lipiodol Emulsion Formed by Glass Membrane Emulsification Device for Transarterial
Toshihiro Tanaka1, Hideyuki Nishiofuku2, Tetsuya Masada2
1Department of Radiology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, 634-8522, Japan. toshihir@bf6.so-net.ne.jp.
Purpose:
To evaluate physiochemical characteristics of emulsions formed by a modified emulsification device and to compare in vitro drug release properties of ethiodized oil (Lipiodol)-drug solution emulsion formed by the device and a 3-way-stopcock for conventional transarterial chemoembolization.
Materials And Methods:
A V-shaped pumping emulsification device with a 100-μm-micropore glass membrane was developed to reduce the resistance of pumping. Epirubicin solution was mixed with Lipiodol (ratio 1:2) with pumping exchanges through the device. The percentage of water-in-oil (W/O) and droplet size distribution and viscosity were evaluated. The in vitro drug release properties were compared between using the device and a 3-way-stopcock.
Results:
Percentage of W/O was 98.45 ± 0.03%. The median droplet size was 22.58 ± 1.70 μm, and the viscosity was 143.70 ± 12.36 cP. The released epirubicin at 0 min was 1.73 ± 1.05% in the device, whereas 41.02 ± 7.27% in a 3-way-stopcock (P < 0.001). The half-life of release (t50%) of the device was significantly longer than that of a 3-way-stopcock (175 ± 25 vs. 8 ± 6 min, P < 0.001).
Conclusion:
The V-shaped emulsification device with a 100-μm-micropore glass membrane can form nearly 100% W/O emulsion with homogenous droplet sizes. Emulsion formed by the device showed a slower epirubicin release property compared with that of a 3-way-stopcock.
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