Inflatable medical device with combination cutting elements and drug delivery conduits

• US 20040098014A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nanopass Technologies Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nanopass Technologies Ltd.
• Inventors: Hefetz, Meir, Yeshurun, Yehoshua, Flugelman, Moshe
• Application Number:
  US10/472,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098014A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/205 Vaccinating by means of needles or other puncturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0093 wherein at least one needle is a microneedle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/105 having a balloon suitable for drug delivery, e.g. by using holes for delivery, drug coating or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2037/003 having a lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/00 Other apparatus for introducing media into the body for reproduction or fertilisation A61B17/425; apparatus for iontophoresis or cataphoresis A61N1/30; Percutany, i.e. introducing medicines into the body by diffusion through the skin salt baths A61H33/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0015 by using microneedles

Abstract

The present invention is a balloon angioplasty device which provides a combination of cutting elements to enhance dilation of an artery together with controlled drug delivery directed towards the regions of cutting. The invention is preferably implemented using rows of hollow microneedles to serve both as the cutting elements and the drug delivery conduits. The invention also provides a corresponding method in which a drug is delivered via conduits located within cutting elements around the exterior of a balloon angioplasty device during and/or immediately subsequent to inflation of the balloon within a blood vessel.

Claims

1. A balloon device comprising:

(a) an inflatable balloon inflatable from an uninflated elongated state to an inflated state, said inflated state having a substantially cylindrical enlarged region defining a central axis; and

(b) a plurality of elongated cutting configurations associated with said inflatable balloon so as to project from said cylindrical enlarged region in said inflated state, each of said elongated cutting configurations having a direction of elongation substantially parallel to said central axis, each of said elongated cutting configurations including a plurality of drug delivery conduits spaced along said direction of elongation,

wherein each of said elongated cutting configurations is configured to cut a substantially continuous incision parallel to said direction of elongation.

2. The balloon device of claim 1, wherein each -of said elongated cutting configurations includes a plurality of closely spaced microneedles each having a maximum dimension parallel to said direction of elongation, said microneedles being spaced by a distance smaller than said maximum dimension.

3. The balloon device of claim 2, wherein said microneedles are spaced by a distance smaller than half of said maximum dimension.

4. The balloon device of claim 2, wherein each of said microneedles has a beveled form including a substantially planar bevel surface, said bevel surface being parallel to said direction of elongation.

5. The balloon device of claim 1, wherein each of said elongated cutting configurations includes a plurality of microneedles, each of said microneedles having a beveled form including a substantially planar bevel surface, said bevel surface being parallel to said direction of elongation.

6. The balloon device of claim 5, wherein all of said bevel surfaces in each of said elongated cutting configurations lie in a common plane.

7. The balloon device of any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein each of said drug delivery conduits is implemented as a conduit formed through one-of said microneedles.

8. A balloon device comprising:

(a) an inflatable balloon inflatable from an uninflated elongated state to an inflated state, said inflated state having a substantially cylindrical enlarged region defining a central axis; and

(b) a plurality of elongated cutting configurations associated with said inflatable balloon so as to project from said cylindrical enlarged region in said inflated state, each of said elongated cutting configurations having a direction of elongation substantially parallel to said central axis, each of said elongated cutting configurations including a plurality of drug delivery conduits spaced along said direction of elongation,

wherein each of said elongated cutting configurations includes a plurality of closely spaced microneedles each having a maximum dimension parallel to said direction of elongation, said microneedles being spaced by a distance smaller than said maximum dimension.

9. The balloon device of claim 8, wherein said microneedles are spaced by a distance smaller than half of said maximum dimension.

10. The balloon device of claim 8, wherein each of said microneedles has a beveled form including a substantially planar bevel surface, said bevel surface being parallel to said direction of elongation.

11. The balloon device of claim 10, wherein all of said bevel surfaces in each of said elongated cutting configurations lie in a common plane.

12. The balloon device of claim 8, wherein each of said drug delivery conduits is implemented as a conduit formed through one of said microneedles.

13. A balloon device comprising:

(a) an inflatable balloon inflatable from an uninflated elongated state to an inflated state, said inflated state having a substantially cylindrical enlarged region defining a central axis; and

(b) a plurality of elongated cutting configurations associated with said inflatable balloon so as to project from said cylindrical enlarged region in said inflated state, each of said elongated cutting configurations having a direction of elongation substantially parallel to said central axis, each of said elongated cutting configurations including a plurality of drug delivery conduits spaced along said direction of elongation,

wherein each of said elongated cutting configurations includes a plurality of microneedles, each of said microneedles having a beveled form including a substantially planar bevel surface, said bevel surface being parallel to said direction of elongation.

14. The balloon device of claim 13, wherein all of said bevel surfaces in each of said elongated cutting configurations lie in a common plane.

15. The balloon device of claim 13, wherein each of said microneedles has a maximum dimension parallel to said direction of elongation, said microneedles being spaced by a distance smaller than said maximum dimension.

16. The balloon device of claim 15, wherein said microneedles are spaced by a distance smaller than half of said maximum dimension.

17. The balloon device of claim 13, wherein each of said drug delivery conduits is implemented as a conduit formed through one of said microneedles.