Method and apparatus for inducing the permeation of medication into internal tissue
First Claim
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1. A method for selectively inducing the permeation of liquid to the heart of a patient comprising:
- placing an external electrode outside of the patient'"'"'s body;
providing a catheter having an elongated flexible shaft dimensioned for insertion into the human vascular system, the catheter having proximal and distal ends, a lumen extending along the shaft for delivering said liquid from the proximal to the distal region of the catheter, a member having a plurality of pores, the pores being in fluid communication with the lumen, the member connected to the distal end of the catheter, and the catheter having an internal electrode disposed at the distal end of the catheter;
inserting the catheter through the vasculature to the heart;
electrically connecting the internal electrode to a source of electrical energy; and
inducing an electric field between said internal electrode and said external electrode so that fluid emitted from the pores of the member connected to the distal end of the catheter will flow in a direction extending from the internally placed electrode outwardly towards the external electrode.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for selectively treating a targeted portion of internal body tissue of a patient by providing an internal electrode at a point adjacent the tissue to be treated and electrodes external to the patient'"'"'s body. Fluid containing Ionic molecules is supplied to a location between the internal electrode and the external electrodes and an electric field radiating outwardly from the internal electrode to the external electrodes is created so that said fluid flows outwardly away from said internal electrode into the tissue to be treated.
156 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for selectively inducing the permeation of liquid to the heart of a patient comprising:
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placing an external electrode outside of the patient'"'"'s body;
providing a catheter having an elongated flexible shaft dimensioned for insertion into the human vascular system, the catheter having proximal and distal ends, a lumen extending along the shaft for delivering said liquid from the proximal to the distal region of the catheter, a member having a plurality of pores, the pores being in fluid communication with the lumen, the member connected to the distal end of the catheter, and the catheter having an internal electrode disposed at the distal end of the catheter;
inserting the catheter through the vasculature to the heart;
electrically connecting the internal electrode to a source of electrical energy; and
inducing an electric field between said internal electrode and said external electrode so that fluid emitted from the pores of the member connected to the distal end of the catheter will flow in a direction extending from the internally placed electrode outwardly towards the external electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for selectively inducing the permeation of liquid to the heart of a patient comprising:
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inserting a catheter having an elongated flexible shaft into the human vascular system, said shaft having proximal and distal ends and an internal electrode carried by the catheter at the distal end of the catheter;
placing an external electrode outside of the patient'"'"'s body;
delivering said liquid from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal region of the catheter;
electrically connecting the internal electrode to a source of electrical energy; and
inducing an electric field between the internal electrode and said at least one external electrode to thereby emit fluid from the pores of a member connected to the distal end of the catheter, such that said fluid will flow outwardly from the pores toward the external electrode. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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Specification