Particle delivery

• US 10,286,118 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2014
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Walsh, Andrew James Lowenthal
• Primary Examiner(s): Stiles, Amber R
• Application Number:
  US14/581,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20150182669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3834 Cells able to produce different cell types, e.g. hematopoietic stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, marrow stromal cells, embryonic stem cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3856 Intervertebral discs mechanical aspects and structures of intervertebral discs A61F2/442
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/044 Collagen
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/16 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L31/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0069 Devices for implanting pellets, e.g. markers or solid medicaments for introducing of radioactive sources for interstitial radiation therapy, i.e. brachytherapy A61N5/1027
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31 Details

Abstract

A method for delivering particles to a target location of a subject includes slidably disposing a polymeric carrier in a lumen of a catheter. The lumen extends in the catheter from a proximal opening to a delivery region. The method further includes inserting the delivery region of the catheter in the target location of the subject and forcing the particles through the lumen of the catheter to cause the carrier and the particles to exit the delivery region of the catheter. The particles may be cells or drug-loaded microspheres. The carrier can serve to retain the particles in the target location for a period of time. For treatment of vertebral disc degeneration, the particles can be stem cells, the carrier can be formed from collagen, and the target location can be the nucleus pulposus.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

slidably disposing a polymeric carrier in a lumen of a delivery element, the lumen extending in the delivery element from a proximal opening to a delivery region;

forcing particles through the lumen of the delivery element to cause the carrier and the particles to exit the delivery region of the delivery element, wherein the particles comprise cells wherein the carrier is a collagen sponge and

co-administering cells in saline with the collagen sponge

wherein the method further comprises providing a system comprising an infusion device having a reservoir configured to house the particles, the delivery element being operably couplable to the infusion device such that particles from the reservoir are deliverable via the delivery region of the delivery element, wherein the delivery element comprises a stop feature between a proximal end and a distal end to prevent the polymeric carrier from being inserted proximally in the lumen beyond the stop feature, wherein the polymeric carrier is slidably disposed in the lumen such that the carrier is spaced apart from the proximal and distal ends of the delivery element;

wherein cells have a concentration between 1×

107 cells/mL and 1×

109 cells/mL.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particles are in a fluid suspension.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric carrier is configured to adhere to, attach to, absorb, or adsorb the particles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cells are administered to an intervertebral disc with a concentration of 2.25×

10⁶ cells/disc.