Manufacturing methods for an apparatus for the controllable modification of compound concentration in a tube
First Claim
1. A method for providing a compound into a flowing fluid, comprising:
- providing a section of tubing, the tubing having an interior with a layer of a matrix material bonded to the interior;
capturing a first compound in the matrix material;
flowing fluid through the interior of the tubing and over the matrix material;
applying energy to the matrix material; and
releasing the first compound from the matrix material into the fluid.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods for delivery of a drug or compound into a fluid flowing within a tube or catheter. In one embodiment a catheter includes an inner surface coated with a polymer matrix such as a hydrogel. The hydrogel includes captured within it a therapeutic agent. The method of capture may be by various means, including photolabile bonds between the therapeutic agent and the hydrogel. The therapeutic agent is released from the hydrogel by the application of energy to the hydrogel, such as by a laser emitting a wavelength which resonates and breaks the photolabile bond. The released therapeutic agent diffuses out of the hydrogel into the liquid flowing within a lumen of the catheter.
-
Citations
56 Claims
-
1. A method for providing a compound into a flowing fluid, comprising:
-
providing a section of tubing, the tubing having an interior with a layer of a matrix material bonded to the interior;
capturing a first compound in the matrix material;
flowing fluid through the interior of the tubing and over the matrix material;
applying energy to the matrix material; and
releasing the first compound from the matrix material into the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
19. A catheter for delivering fluid, comprising:
-
a flexible outer sheath having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
a polymer matrix attached to the interior surface of said sheath, said polymer matrix defining a lumen therethrough for flow of the liquid; and
a therapeutic agent releasably captured by the molecules of said polymer matrix.
-
-
35. A method of manufacturing a catheter, comprising:
-
providing a flexible sheath with an interior surface and an exterior surface;
applying a layer of a polymer matrix onto the interior surface;
swelling the polymer matrix in the presence of a fluid;
placing a rod within the interior of the flexible sheath;
forming the flexible sheath into a predetermined shape;
shrinking the polymer matrix by removing the fluid; and
removing the rod.
-
-
44. A method of manufacturing an internally coated tube, comprising:
-
providing a rod, and a sheath with an interior surface and an exterior surface;
applying a layer of a polymer matrix onto the surface of the rod;
placing the rod within the interior of the sheath;
forming the sheath into a predetermined shape around the rod; and
removing the rod from the formed sheath. - View Dependent Claims (45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
46. A method for providing a therapeutic agent to a biological unit;
-
providing a therapeutic agent releasably captured within a matrix material, the therapeutic agent being releasable upon receiving an energy input;
placing the matrix material and captured therapeutic agent in fluid communication with a fluid which flows in a biological space of the biological unit, the biological space being capable of accepting a constant flowrate of the fluid;
providing energy to the matrix material sufficient to release a portion of the therapeutic agent; and
releasing the therapeutic agent into the biological unit in an irregular pattern.
-
-
54. A method for manufacturing a catheter, comprising:
-
providing a quantity of polymer matrix containing a releaseably captured compound, a sheath with an inner diameter, and a rod with an outer diameter, the inner diameter being larger than the outer diameter;
supporting the sheath in a linear shape;
supporting the rod within the sheath to form an annulus between the outer diameter of the rod and the inner diameter of the sheath;
placing the polymer matrix within the annulus; and
removing the rod. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
-
Specification