Catheter for uniform delivery of medication

• US 20020082547A1
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jose Castillo Deniega, Kenneth W. Rake, Roger Massengale
• Original Assignee: Jose Castillo Deniega, Kenneth W. Rake, Roger Massengale
• Inventors: Deniega, Jose Castillo, Massengale, Roger, Rake, Kenneth W.
• Application Number:
  US10/085,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082547A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0037 characterized by lumina being arranged side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0039 characterized by lumina being arranged coaxially
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0073 Tip designed for influencing the flow or the flow velocity of the fluid, e.g. inserts for twisted or vortex flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0023 by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable

Abstract

The present invention provides a catheter for the delivery of fluid medication across an anatomical region. In accordance with some embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated tubular member made of a porous membrane. The porous membrane is configured so that a fluid introduced into an open end of the tubular member will flow through side walls of the tubular member at a substantially uniform rate along a length of the tubular member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated “weeping” tubular coil spring attached to an end of, or enclosed within, a tube. Fluid within the spring and greater than or equal to a threshold pressure advantageously flows radially outward between the spring coils. Advantageously, the fluid is dispensed substantially uniformly throughout a length of the spring. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube. The exit holes combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. Advantageously, fluid within the catheter flows through all of the exit holes, resulting in uniform distribution of fluid within an anatomical region.

Claims

1. A device for the uniform delivery of fluid throughout an anatomical region, comprising an elongated catheter having a plurality of exit holes along a length of said catheter, said exit holes gradually increasing in size along said length of said catheter, wherein the largest of said exit holes is nearer to the distal end of said catheter than the smallest of said exit holes, so that a fluid flowing under pressure within said catheter will flow through substantially all of said exit holes at a substantially equal rate, said catheter being formed from a material that is non-reactive to anatomical systems.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said exit holes are provided throughout the circumference of said catheter.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the smallest of said exit holes has a diameter of at least 0.0002 inches and the largest of said exit holes has a diameter of at most 0.01 inches.

4. A method of uniformly delivering fluid throughout an anatomical region, comprising the steps of:

inserting an elongated catheter into said anatomical region, said catheter having a plurality of exit holes along a length of said catheter, said exit holes gradually increasing in size along said length of said catheter, wherein the largest of said exit holes is nearer to the distal end of said catheter than the smallest of said exit holes, said catheter being formed from a material that is non-reactive to anatomical systems; and

introducing a fluid under pressure into the proximal end of said catheter, said fluid flowing through said exit holes and entering said anatomical region, said fluid flowing through substantially all of said exit holes at a substantially equal rate.

5. A method of manufacturing a device for the uniform delivery of fluid throughout an anatomical region, comprising the steps of:

forming an elongated catheter from a material that is non-reactive to anatomical systems; and

providing a plurality of exit holes along a length of said catheter, said exit holes gradually increasing in size along said length of said catheter, wherein the largest of said exit holes is nearer to the distal end of said catheter than the smallest of said exit holes, so that a fluid flowing under pressure within said catheter will flow through substantially all of said exit holes at a substantially equal rate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said providing step includes providing said exit holes throughout the circumference of said catheter.