Needles and methods of using same

• US 20050215977A1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Uschold, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,645,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3286 Needle tip design, e.g. for improved penetration

Abstract

A needle having a shaft with a distal end defining a distal opening. The shaft has a longitudinal axis that extends through the distal opening and the distal opening has a projected area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a section of the shaft proximal to the distal end of the shaft. Also provided are methods of directly delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site using a Huber needle or pencil-point needle.

Claims

1. A needle comprising:

a shaft having a distal end defining a distal opening and having a longitudinal axis extending through the distal opening, the distal opening having a projected area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a section of the shaft proximal to the distal end of the shaft.

2. The needle of claim 1, wherein the distal end comprises opposing first and second surfaces and the second surface is indented towards the second surface.

3. The needle of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the shaft comprises at least one port on a side surface thereof.

4. The needle of claim 2, wherein the distal end terminates in a curvilinear distal tip.

5. The needle of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the shaft is tapered.

6. The needle of claim 1, wherein the distal end comprises opposing first and second extensions, the first and the second extensions being angled towards each other.

7. The needle of claim 6, wherein the second extension is longer than the first extension in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

8. The needle of claim 6, wherein the first and second extensions mutually define at least one opening offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

9. The needle of claim 8, wherein the at least one opening is a pair of openings, each opening being offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

10. The needle of claim 6, wherein the first and the second extensions each terminate in beveled distal tips.

11. A catheter having the needle of claim 1 at distal portion thereof.

12. A syringe having the needle of claim 1 at a distal portion thereof.

17. A method of accessing a drug delivery port comprising:

providing a drug delivery device comprising the needle of claim 1 at a distal portion thereof; and

inserting the needle of the drug delivery device into a drug delivery port to access the drug delivery port.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein accessing the drug delivery port comprising introducing a therapeutic agent through the needle into the drug delivery port.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the drug delivery device is a syringe or catheter.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the drug delivery port comprises a septum, the needle of the drug delivery device piercing the septum to access the drug delivery port.

21. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent to a spinal column comprising:

providing a drug delivery device containing a therapeutic agent and comprising the needle of claim 1 at a distal portion thereof; and

introducing the therapeutic agent through the needle into a spinal column.

22. A method of collecting a fluid sample from a body comprising:

providing a drug delivery device comprising the needle of claim 1 at a distal portion thereof;

inserting the needle into a fluid containment site of a body; and

creating a vacuum in the drug delivery device to collect a fluid sample from the fluid containment site of the body.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the fluid sample comprises blood, amniotic fluid, serous fluid, or cerebrospinal fluid.

13. A method of delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body comprising:

providing a drug delivery device containing a therapeutic agent and comprising at a distal portion thereof; and

delivering the therapeutic agent through the needle to a target site of a body.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the drug delivery device is a catheter or a syringe.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the target site is selected from a group consisting of the heart, lung, brain, liver, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, kidney, bladder, intestines, stomach, pancreas, ovary, prostate and cartilage.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein delivering the therapeutic agent comprises directly delivering the therapeutic agent to the target site.

24. A method of directly delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body comprising:

providing a drug delivery device comprising a Huber needle at a distal portion thereof;

positioning the needle adjacent to the target site; and

directly delivering the therapeutic agent through the Huber needle to the target site, wherein the target site is not a spinal cord.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the target site is an organ selected from a group consisting of the heart, lung, brain, liver, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, kidney, bladder, intestines, stomach, pancreas, ovary, prostate and cartilage.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the target site is the heart.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the target site is the myocardium.

28. A method of directly delivering a therapeutic agent to a target site of a body comprising:

providing a drug delivery device comprising a pencil-point needle at a distal portion thereof;

positioning the needle adjacent to the target site; and

directly delivering the therapeutic agent through the pencil-point needle to the target site, wherein the target site is not a spinal cord.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the target site is an organ selected from a group consisting of the heart, lung, brain, liver, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, kidney, bladder, intestines, stomach, pancreas, ovary, prostate and cartilage.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the target site is the heart.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the target site is the myocardium.