MICROSTRUCTURES FOR DELIVERING A COMPOSITION CUTANEOUSLY TO SKIN USING ROTATABLE STRUCTURES

摘要

An improved method and apparatus (600) is provided as a system to deliver a composition, preferably a medical or pharmaceutical composition or active, through the stratum corneum of skin, without introducing bleeding or damage to tissue, and absent pain or other trauma. The dimensions and shapes of the microelements (12) are controlled so as to control the penetration depth into the skin. The microelements can be "hollow" such that passageways (626) are created therethrough to allow the composition to flow from a chamber (476), through the microelements, and into the skin. Alternatively, the microelements can be "solid" (622), and the composition is applied directly to the skin just before or just after the microelements are applied to the skin surface to create the openings in the stratum corneum. Another alternative embodiment uses cylindrical microstructures that are rotatably applied to the skin and which penetrate through the stratum corneum; and which can dispense fluid by various different structures.