Microfabrication of individual 200 μm diameter transdermal microconduits using high voltage pulsing in salicylic acid and benzoic acid

Abstract

We describe an extension of semiconductor fabrication methods that creates individual ≈ 200 μm diameter aqueous pathways through human stratum corneum at predetermined sites. Our hypothesis is that spatially localized electroporation of the multi-lamellar lipid bilayer membranes provides rapid delivery of salicylic acid to the keratin within corneocytes, leading to localized keratin disruption and then to a microconduit. A microconduit penetrating the isolated stratum corneum supports a volumetric flow of order 0.01 ml per s with a pressure difference of only 0.01 atm (about 102Pa). This study provides a method for rapidly mircroengineering a pathway in the skin to interface future devices for transdermal drug delivery and sampling of biologically relevant fluids. © 2001 The Society for Investigative Dermatology, Inc.