Intravasular artificial organ
First Claim
1. A method of delivering a biosynthetic substance to a patient comprising (a) inserting into a blood vessel of a patient a catheter closed at one end and having a cell culture chamber, said chamber being adapted to receive and maintain functional cells or tissues which produce a desired biosynthetic substance, said chamber having a wall, at least a portion of said wall being permeable to said substance and to nutrients provided by the blood which are necessary to maintain the cells or tissues in a functional state, said wall being impermeable to immunocytes and immunoglobulins;
- and (b) tethering said catheter in place in the blood vessel by tethering means, whereby the wall of the cell culture chamber is constantly bathed by blood flowing in said blood vessel, said tethering means further providing conduit means whereby cells or liquids may be introduced into or withdrawn from said chamber;
said desired biosynthetic substance being produced by said cells and delivered through said wall directly into the bloodstream of the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The intravascular artificial organ is comprised of a flexible, hollow, semipermeable catheter containing living cells or tissue. The catheter is constructed of material with a pore size resulting in a molecular weight cutoff of approximately 50,000 Daltons. This pore size permits oxygen, glucose, and hormones to diffuse freely into and out of the organ. By contrast, cells of the host immune system cannot gain access to the cells or tissues within the organ and destroy them. Thus, it is possible to load the intravascular artificial organ with cells and tissues of immunologically foreign individuals, animals, bacteria or plants. The preferred embodiment consists of a double lumen catheter connected to two percutaneous access ports permitting flushing and reloading of the organ without removing it from the body.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of delivering a biosynthetic substance to a patient comprising (a) inserting into a blood vessel of a patient a catheter closed at one end and having a cell culture chamber, said chamber being adapted to receive and maintain functional cells or tissues which produce a desired biosynthetic substance, said chamber having a wall, at least a portion of said wall being permeable to said substance and to nutrients provided by the blood which are necessary to maintain the cells or tissues in a functional state, said wall being impermeable to immunocytes and immunoglobulins;
- and (b) tethering said catheter in place in the blood vessel by tethering means, whereby the wall of the cell culture chamber is constantly bathed by blood flowing in said blood vessel, said tethering means further providing conduit means whereby cells or liquids may be introduced into or withdrawn from said chamber;
said desired biosynthetic substance being produced by said cells and delivered through said wall directly into the bloodstream of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- and (b) tethering said catheter in place in the blood vessel by tethering means, whereby the wall of the cell culture chamber is constantly bathed by blood flowing in said blood vessel, said tethering means further providing conduit means whereby cells or liquids may be introduced into or withdrawn from said chamber;
Specification