Catheter assembly for intracranial treatment

• US 20060129102A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AD-Tech Medical Instrument Corp.
• Original Assignee: AD-Tech Medical Instrument Corp.
• Inventors: Putz, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,255,686 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/164.90
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• 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 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0662 Guide tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00

Abstract

A catheter assembly for intracranial treatment of a patient is provided having both outer and inner catheters. The outer catheter has at least one element and defines a lumen in communication with at least one aperture and an opening. The inner catheter is sized to be received within the lumen and includes a passageway in communication with at least one port. The element can be in the form of a contact or sensor. The outer catheter can include an inflatable balloon distal to an element. The balloon is adapted to seal upon inflation the tract created by the outer catheter when inserted into the brain. The outer catheter may have a flexible channel extending outward from the body of the catheter that permits the inner catheter to be inserted into the body through the channel. The inner catheter is preferably configured for removable engagement to a tapered fitting on the outer catheter.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly for intracranial treatment of a patient comprising:

an outer catheter having an opening, at least one element and at least one aperture, the outer catheter defining a lumen in communication with respect to the opening and the at least one aperture; and

an inner catheter sized to be received within the lumen and having a passageway and at least one port in communication with respect to the passageway.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1 further comprising a rigid stylet sized to be received within the lumen for inserting the outer catheter into the patient'"'"'s brain, the stylet being removed prior to insertion of the inner catheter into the lumen.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter has an axis and the aperture is in axial alignment with the lumen.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter has a closed distal end and a distal portion at the distal end, the aperture being spaced from the distal end along the distal portion.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein the outer catheter has an axis and at least first and second apertures in communication with respect to the lumen, the first and second apertures being spaced axially along the distal portion.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein the outer catheter has an axis and at least first and second apertures in communication with respect to the lumen, the first and second apertures being spaced radially about the axis along the distal portion.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner catheter has an axis, a distal portion and at least two ports in communication with respect to the passageway, the ports being spaced axially along the distal portion.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the inner catheter has an axis, a distal portion and at least two ports in communication with respect to the passageway, the ports being spaced radially about the axis and spaced axially along the distal portion.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the element is a contact that monitors brain activity.

10. The catheter assembly of claim 9 wherein the contact monitors electrical activity within the brain.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 9 wherein the contact is a micro-contact.

12. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the element is a location marker to identify the position of the outer catheter when inserted within the brain.

13. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the element is at least one sensor.

14. The catheter assembly of claim 13 wherein the sensor senses temperature changes within the patient'"'"'s brain.

15. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter has a distal portion and the at least one element is a plurality of elements spaced axially and radially along the distal portion.

16. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter has a proximal portion and at least one proximal-contact along the proximal portion, the proximal-contact being conductively connected with at least one element through a lead.

17. The catheter assembly of claim 16 wherein the lead is electrical wiring.

18. The catheter assembly of claim 16 wherein the lead is a fiber-optic bundle.

19. The catheter assembly of claim 16 wherein outer catheter has a body that includes the proximal portion and the lumen includes a flexible channel extending outward from the body at a point distal to the proximal-contact, the channel defining the opening.

20. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the element is a contact that provides electrical stimulation to a tissue region within the patient'"'"'s brain.

21. The catheter system of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter has a proximal end and the opening is positioned at the proximal end.

22. The catheter assembly of claim 21 wherein the outer catheter has a tapered fitting at the proximal end, the tapered fitting being configured for removable engagement to a fitting at a proximal end of the inner catheter.

23. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter has proximal and distal portions and a conduit extending from the proximal portion to an inflatable balloon secured to the distal portion.

24. The catheter assembly of claim 23 wherein the balloon is inflatable with at least one drug and the balloon is formed from a material permeable to the drug such that the drug can be introduced into the brain through the balloon.

25. The catheter assembly of claim 23 wherein the balloon is adapted to seal upon inflation a tract created upon insertion of the outer catheter into the brain.

26. The catheter assembly of claim 23 wherein the balloon is positioned along the distal portion proximal to the aperture and distal to the element.

27. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the outer catheter is adapted to be secured to the patient'"'"'s skull after the outer catheter is placed in a targeted region within the patient'"'"'s brain.

28. The catheter assembly of claim 27 wherein the outer catheter has an externally-threaded proximal portion such that the outer catheter may be screwed into the skull.

29. The catheter assembly of claim 27 wherein the inner catheter fittingly engages the outer catheter such that the inner catheter is firmly secured to the outer catheter.

30. The catheter assembly of claim 29 wherein the inner catheter has an externally-threaded proximal portion threadably received by the outer catheter.

31. The catheter assembly of claim 30 wherein the inner catheter further includes a flexible conduit extending outward from the proximal fitting to a tapered inlet, the inlet being in communication with the passageway such that a pumping instrument can be connected to the inlet to transfer a fluid through the passageway.

32. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein the port includes a dialysis membrane adapted to receive cerebral spinal fluid.