Surgery – Means for introducing or removing material from body for... – Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-29
2001-10-16
Nguyen, Anhtuan T. (Department: 3763)
Surgery
Means for introducing or removing material from body for...
Treating material introduced into or removed from body...
C604S170030, C604S164090
Reexamination Certificate
active
06302870
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to invasive medical devices for injecting medications and therapeutic agents into the walls of blood vessels, body cavities, ducts, organs, tumors and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices for concentrating the delivery of such medications and agents to the walls of the blood vessels, cavities and ducts.
2. State of the Art
Various vascular diseases involving vessel walls, such as arterial sclerosis, occlusive lesions, aneurysm or other weakening of the vessel wall, etc., may benefit from the application of medications directly to the affected area of the vessel wall. This may be done systemically by injecting medication into the vessel and then allowing the blood to carry the medication to the affected area. The problem with this approach is that high dosages of medication are required to ensure that some small portion reaches the affected area, and the high dosage may be harmful to other organs or body parts. Also, systemic application is generally not effective and quite expensive.
Another approach to treating diseases of vessel walls is to place a block before and after the affected area and then inject medications into that portion of the vessel between the two blocks. The problem with this approach is that blood flow is stopped for a certain amount of time and this, in itself, is dangerous; also, may not be able to stop the flow long enough for uptake of the medications.
Another prior art approach is to thread a catheter through the blood vessel to the affected area and then either supply the medication through the catheter to the affected area or supply the medication through a needle which itself is threaded through the catheter, pierce the vessel wall with the needle, and then supply the medication (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,279). The problem with simply supplying the medication via the catheter is that much of the medication is carried away in the blood and may adversely affect other organs.
An additional prior art approach to supplying medication to a vessel wall involves the use of an inflatable sleeve positioned adjacent the affected area, where the sleeve includes an annular cavity holding the medication. When the sleeve is inflated to expand outwardly, the medication held in the cavity is placed into contact with the vessel walls and released thereinto. The problem with this approach is that the blood vessel again is blocked for a time and thus a gradual therapeutic regimen is not possible.
Other approaches to delivering medication to vessel walls are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,681,281, 5,364,356, and 5,112,305.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for injecting medication, therapeutic agents, and the like efficiently and effectively into a blood vessel wall, body cavity wall, duct wall, etc.
It is also an object of the invention to provide such a device which is non-occlusive and substantially non-inhibiting of blood flow.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a device which may be easily deployed through the vascular system and other body cavities or ducts to desired target locations for delivering the medication, therapeutic agents, and the like.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide such a device, in accordance with one aspect thereof, in which the vessel or cavity wall may be penetrated and the degree of penetration may be controlled.
The above and other objects are realized in one illustrative embodiment of the invention which includes a plurality of laterally flexible needles disposed in a catheter for exit either out the distal end of the catheter or through corresponding side openings in the catheter. In the latter case, the terminal ends of the needles would be curved laterally, with each terminal end being positioned in a respective side opening so that when the needles were moved forwardly in the catheter, the terminal ends of the needles would move laterally out of the respective openings to pierce a vessel, cavity or duct wall adjacent to which the catheter was positioned. In the former case, the terminal ends of the needles would be curved to extend radially so that upon exit from the distal end of the catheter, the terminal ends of the needles would move radially to contact and pierce a vessel or cavity wall.
Upon piercing the vessel or cavity wall, medication would be supplied to the needles for delivery to the vessel, cavity or duct wall. Hilts positioned near the terminal ends of the needles serve to control the depth of penetration of the needles.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5112305 (1992-05-01), Barath et al.
patent: 5354271 (1994-10-01), Voda
patent: 5354279 (1994-10-01), Höfling
patent: 5364356 (1994-11-01), Höfling
patent: 5419777 (1995-05-01), Hofling
patent: 5536250 (1996-07-01), Klein et al.
patent: 5591159 (1997-01-01), Taheri
patent: 5599306 (1997-02-01), Klein et al.
patent: 5681281 (1997-10-01), Vigil et al.
patent: 5693029 (1997-12-01), Leonhardt
patent: 6102887 (2000-08-01), Altman
Davis Clark C.
Jacobsen Stephen C.
McDermott & Will & Emery
Nguyen Anhtuan T.
Precision Vascular Systems, Inc.
Serke Catherine
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