Steerable drug delivery device
First Claim
1. A medical implement comprising:
- an outer member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough;
an inner member having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a needle coupled to said distal portion, said inner member being slidably disposed in said outer member lumen, and said inner member having a plurality of indentations for increasing the flexibility of said distal portion of said inner member; and
a steering assembly coupled to said inner member for steering said needle to a target location.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical apparatus used to deliver a therapeutic substance. The medical apparatus provides a catheter assembly, which includes a translating body assembly and a fixed body assembly mated together in a telescopic configuration to allow the translating body assembly to move relative to the fixed body assembly and facilitate the delivery of the therapeutic substance to a targeted area. The catheter assembly also provides a steering assembly capable of moving the distal portion of the catheter assembly between a first direction and a second direction. A guiding catheter including an anchoring device can be used to secure the catheter assembly in position at the targeted area to facilitate deployment of a needle for delivering the therapeutic substance to the targeted area.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A medical implement comprising:
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an outer member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough;
an inner member having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a needle coupled to said distal portion, said inner member being slidably disposed in said outer member lumen, and said inner member having a plurality of indentations for increasing the flexibility of said distal portion of said inner member; and
a steering assembly coupled to said inner member for steering said needle to a target location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A medical implement comprising:
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a translating body assembly having a substantially flexible distal portion;
a fixed body assembly configured to be mated with said translating body assembly, said translating body assembly being moveable relative to said fixed body assembly;
a first steering tendon coupled to said distal portion of said translating body assembly to move said distal portion in a first direction; and
a second steering tendon coupled to said distal portion of said translating body assembly to move said distal portion in a second direction, wherein said first steering tendon is operably engaged with a first puller assembly via a first biasing element and said second steering tendon is operably engaged with a second puller assembly via a second biasing element. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A medical device, comprising:
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an elongated member for inserting in a body lumen;
a steering tendon coupled at one end to a distal portion of said elongated member to flex said distal portion of said elongated member; and
a pulling assembly coupled to the other end of said steering tendon for applying tension to said steering tendon, said steering tendon being coupled to said pulling assembly by a biasing element. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A medical implement for delivering a therapeutic substance to a target area within the human body comprising:
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a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending there between;
an intraventricular device moveable relative to said catheter body, said intraventricular device including a plurality of indentations for increasing the flexibility of a distal portion of said intraventricular device;
a injection element in fluid communication with said intraventricular device for delivering a therapeutic substance; and
an anchoring device positioned proximate to said distal end of said catheter body, said anchoring device configured to maintain said intraventricular device in a stationary position during delivery of said therapeutic substance.- View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
a first tube; and
a second tube disposed within said first tube, said first tube including struts that define said anchoring device, said struts configured to expand in an outwardly direction in response to relative movement between said first tube and said second tube.
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25. The medical implement of claim 20, wherein said anchoring device comprises a balloon intergraded with said catheter body.
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26. A medical implement for delivering a therapeutic substance to a target area within the human body comprising:
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an outer member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough;
an inner member having a proximal portion and a distal portion, said distal portion of said inner member having a plurality of indentations for increasing the flexibility of said distal portion; and
a needle in fluid communication-with said inner member, said inner member slidably disposed in said outer member between a first position, where said needle is inboard of said outer member lumen, and a second position, where said needle is outboard of said outer member lumen; and
a steering assembly coupled to said distal portion of said inner member for moving said needle between a first direction and a second direction.
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27. A method for delivering a therapeutic substance to a target area within the human body comprising:
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delivering a medical implement to a target location within the human vasculature, said medical implement having an outer member, an inner member disposed in said outer member and a needle in fluid communication with said inner member, said inner member having a distal portion adjacent to said needle, said distal portion of said inner member having a plurality of indentations for increasing the flexibility of said distal portion of said inner member;
moving said inner member relative to said outer member between a first position, where said needle is within said outer member and a second position, where said needle is outside of said outer member;
applying a first tension to a first tendon to cause said needle to move in a first direction and/or applying a second tension to a second tendon to cause said needle to move in a second direction; and
causing said needle to penetrate into said target location; and
delivering said therapeutic substance to said target location. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A medical implement comprising:
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an outer member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therethrough;
an inner member having a proximal portion, a distal portion and a needle coupled to said distal portion, said inner member being slidably disposed in said outer member lumen;
a steering assembly coupled to said inner member for steering said needle to a target location; and
wherein said inner member comprises a pattern of indentations formed on said distal portion for increasing the flexibility of said inner member.
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30. A medical implement comprising:
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a translating body assembly having a substantially flexible distal portion;
a fixed body assembly configured.to be mated with said translating body assembly, said translating body assembly,being moveable relative to said fixed body assembly;
a first steering tendon coupled to said distal portion of said translating body assembly to move said distal portion in a first direction;
a second steering tendon coupled to said distal portion of said translating body assembly to move said distal portion in a second direction;
wherein said translating body assembly comprises an inner member having modification to provide said substantially flexible distal portion;
wherein said inner member comprises a hollow hypotube; and
wherein said modification of said hypotube comprises indentations formed into said hypotube along said substantially flexible distal portion.
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31. A medical implement comprising:
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a translating body assembly having a substantially flexible distal portion;
a fixed body assembly configured to be mated with said translating body assembly, said translating body assembly being moveable relative to said fixed body assembly;
a first steering tendon coupled to said distal portion of said translating body assembly to move said distal portion in a first direction;
a second steering tendon coupled to said distal portion of said translating body assembly to move said distal portion in a second direction;
wherein said translating body assembly comprises an inner member having modification to provide said substantially flexible distal portion;
wherein said inner member comprises a hollow hypotube; and
wherein said modification of said;
hypotube comprises indentations formed into said hypotube, wherein said indentations are variably spaced along said substantially flexible distal portion.
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32. A medical device, comprising:
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an elongated member for inserting in a body lumen, said elongated member comprising a segment having grooves for increasing the flexibility of said segment of said elongated member;
a steering tendon coupled at one end to said elongated member for flexing said segment of said elongated member; and
a pulling assembly coupled to the other end of said steering tendon for applying tension to said steering tendon. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification