Catheters and methods for guiding drugs and other agents to an intended site by deployable grooves

• US 5,904,670 A
• Filed: 04/03/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: XRT Corp. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Schreiner, Dale L.
• Primary Examiner(s): STRIGHT, RONALD K
• Application Number:
  US08/627,006
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 606/191, 606/194, 606/198, 606/200, 604/19, 604/27, 604/30, 604/48, 604/93, 604/96, 604/104-109, 604/164, 604/166, 604/264, 604/280, 604/158-160
• US Class Current: 604/523
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0086 the needles having bent tips, i.e. the needle distal tips are angled in relation to the longitudinal axis of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0082 Catheter tip comprising a tool
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0084 being one or more injection needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104

Abstract

Catheters for delivering drugs or other agents within a lumen, such as an artery or vein, are disclosed. In one embodiment, a catheter comprises an outer shaft with a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. An inner shaft is slidably received within the outer shaft. A distal portion of the shaft comprises a plurality of grooved delivery members having a non-deployed position wherein the delivery members lie within and are compressed by the outer shaft, and a deployed position wherein the delivery members extend beyond the outer shaft. In the deployed position, the delivery members flare outward at an angle, beyond the diameter of the outer shaft to bear against a site of interest, which can be a thrombus or a vessel wall, for example. Drugs or other agents can be conveyed to the delivery members through a space between the inner and outer shafts. In another embodiment, distal portions of the grooved delivery members are coupled to an inner shaft at a first location and proximal portions of the grooved delivery members are coupled to an outer shaft at a second location. Movement of the inner and outer shafts with respect to each other to bring the first and second locations together causes the delivery members to buckle outward, deploying the members. Methods of drug delivery are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A catheter for delivering drugs or other agents within lumen, comprising:

an outer shaft having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough,

an inner shaft slidably received within the lumen of the outer shaft, the inner shaft having a distal portion and a proximal portion, the distal portion comprising a plurality of flexible resilient delivery members, at least one of the delivery members comprising at least one external groove thereon for delivery, the delivery members having a non-deployed position compressed by the outer shaft when the delivery members are within the outer shaft and a deployed position when the delivery members extend beyond the outer shaft, wherein in the deployed position the delivery members flare outward beyond the outer shaft at an angle; and

the inner and outer shafts defining a space between them through which the drug or agent is conveyed to the grooves of the delivery members.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the delivery members are attached to the inner shaft.

3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the delivery members are softer than the proximal portion of the inner shaft.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the proximal portion of the inner shaft is smooth.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the angle is acute.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the angle is essentially a right angle.

7. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inner shaft further comprises a guidewire lumen.

8. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the outer shaft comprises a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion is softer than the proximal portion.

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the inner shaft is smooth.

10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the inner shaft further comprises a grooved portion adjacent the distal portion, extending to and aligned with the at least one groove of the delivery members.

11. A catheter for delivering drugs or other agents to a site within a lumen, comprising:

a delivery portion comprising a first shaft having a distal portion and at least one flexible resilient delivery member at the distal portion, the at least one delivery member comprising at least one external groove thereon for delivery, wherein the at least one delivery member has a deployed position for bearing against the site and a non-deployed position for not bearing against the site;

means for deploying the at least one delivery member from the non-deployed position to the deployed position, the means for deploying including a second shaft having a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough, the first shaft being received in the lumen, the at least one delivery member being in the non-deployed position when the at least one delivery member is received within the lumen and compressed by the second shaft; and

means for conveying a drug or agent within the second shaft, to the at least one delivery member.