Effect of orientation angle for needle-free jet injection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Needle-free jet injectors offer an alternative to traditional needles for drug administration.
• Optimizing injection parameters is crucial for efficient and effective drug delivery.
• Understanding the interaction between jet dynamics and biological tissues is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the delivery efficiency of needle-free jet injections.
• To investigate the impact of injection angle relative to the skin surface on delivery efficiency.
• To examine the influence of jet path orientation relative to muscle fibers for intramuscular injections.

Main Methods:

• Utilized needle-free jet injectors with specific parameters (jet speed ≈140m/s, orifice diameter =157μm, volume =0.1 mL).
• Tested delivery efficiency on hydrogel tissue phantoms, porcine tissues, and excised human skin.
• Analyzed the effects of varying injection angles and jet path orientations relative to tissue structures.

Main Results:

• Oblique injection angles showed potential benefits for intradermal and subcutaneous delivery.
• Angled jet paths, considering muscle fiber orientation, may enhance drug dispersion for intramuscular injections.
• Delivery efficiency is significantly influenced by the interplay between injection geometry and tissue properties.

Conclusions:

• Injection angle and jet path orientation are critical factors for optimizing needle-free jet injection efficacy.
• Oblique and muscle-fiber-aligned injections represent promising strategies for improved drug delivery.
• Further research into these parameters can lead to more effective needle-free drug administration technologies.