Catheter for target specific drug delivery

• US 6,945,969 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2000
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Morris, Mary M., Hankner, Douglas Owen
• Primary Examiner(s): Thanh, Loan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, CATHERINE SERKE
• Application Number:
  US09/625,751
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 604 7- 9, 604/19, 604/48, 604/506, 604/508, 604/93.01, 604/264, 604/523, 604/534, 604/535, 604/537, 604540-541, 604543-544, 128/DIG.12
• US Class Current: 604/508
• 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 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/02 Access sites
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16877 Adjusting flow; Devices for setting a flow rate

Abstract

A medical catheter comprising a proximal end having an opening for fluid containing a therapeutic drug, a distal end, the distal end defining at least one opening, and a porous portion covering the opening defined by the distal end. In one embodiment, the medical catheter comprises a proximal end having an opening for fluid containing a therapeutic drug, at least two distal ends, the proximal end connected to the two distal ends with a connector, the distal ends each defining at least one opening, a diffuser covering the opening of each distal end, and a separate restrictor downstream of the connector and upstream of each distal end to provide substantially equal flow through each distal end. An additional restrictor can also be placed upstream of the connector. In another embodiment, a combination diffuser and restrictor covers the opening of each distal end. In one embodiment, the diffuser can define tubes that extend from the inside surface of the diffuser to the outside surface of the diffuser, to permit more equal drug flow through the tubes defined therein.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a therapeutic drug comprising:

forming a drug delivery segment having a longitudinal axis, the drug delivery segment having an outside surface and an inside surface,

forming tubes in the drug delivery segment, each tube having a diameter and a length that extends radially from the inside surface of the drug delivery segment to the outside surface of the drug delivery segment, and where a ratio of the length of the tubes to the diameter of the tubes is about 5-25;

providing a therapeutic drug to the drug delivery segment for more than 24 hours from an intraparenchymal catheter; and

distributing the therapeutic drug in approximately equal amounts through the tubes defined in the drug delivery segment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the outside surface of the drug delivery segment is substantially annularly grooveless.

2. A method for delivering a therapeutic drug comprising:

forming a drug delivery segment having a longitudinal axis, the drug delivery segment having an outside surface and an inside surface,

forming tubes in the drug delivery segment each, tube having a diameter and a length that extends radially from the inside surface of the drug delivery segment to the outside surface of the drug delivery segment, and where a ratio of the length of the tubes to the diameter of the tubes is about 5-25;

providing a therapeutic drug to the drug delivery segment for more than 24 hours; and

distributing the therapeutic drug in approximately equal amounts through the tubes defined in the drug delivery segment to the brain of a patient.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the outside surface of the drug delivery segment is substantially annularly grooveless.

3. A method for delivering a therapeutic drug comprising:

forming a drug delivery segment having a longitudinal axis, the drug delivery segment having an outside surface and an inside surface,

forming tubes in the drug delivery segment, each tube having a diameter and a length that extends radially from the inside surface of the drug delivery segment to the outside surface of the drug delivery segment, and where a ratio of the length of the tubes to the diameter of the tubes is about 5-25;

providing a therapeutic drug to the drug delivery segment for more than 24 hours from an intrathecal catheter; and

distributing the therapeutic drug in approximately equal amounts through the tubes defined in the drug delivery segment.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the outside surface of the drug delivery segment is substantially annularly grooveless.

4. A method for delivering a therapeutic drug comprising:

forming a drug delivery segment having a longitudinal axis, the drug delivery segment having an outside surface and an inside surface,

forming tubes in the drug delivery segment, each tube having a diameter and a length that extends radially from the inside surface of the drug delivery segment to the outside surface of the drug delivery segment, and where a ratio of the length of the tubes to the diameter of the tubes is about 5-25;

providing a therapeutic drug to the drug delivery segment for more than 24 hours from an intracerebral ventricular catheter; and

distributing the therapeutic drug in approximately equal amounts through the tubes defined in the drug delivery segment.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein the outside surface of the drug delivery segment is substantially annularly grooveless.

5. A method for delivering a therapeutic drug comprising:

forming a drug delivery segment having a longitudinal axis, the drug delivery segment having an outside surface and an inside surface,

forming tubes in the drug delivery segment, each tube having a diameter and a length that extends radially from the inside surface of the drug delivery segment to the outside surface of the drug delivery segment, and where a ratio of the length of the tubes to the diameter of the tubes is about 5-25;

providing a therapeutic drug to the drug delivery segment for more than 24 hours from a catheter; and

distributing the therapeutic drug into a liquid filled space within a patient in approximately equal amounts through the tubes defined in the drug delivery segment.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the outside surface of the drug delivery segment is substantially annularly grooveless.

6. A method for delivering a therapeutic drug comprising:

forming a drug delivery, segment having a longitudinal axis, the drug delivery segment having an outside surface and an inside surface,

forming tubes in the drug delivery segment, each tube having a diameter and a length that extends radially from the inside surface of the drug delivery segment to the outside surface of the drug delivery segment, and where a ratio of the length of the tubes to the diameter of the tubes is about 5-25;

providing a therapeutic drug to the drug delivery segment for more than 24 hours from a catheter; and

distributing the therapeutic drug to a tumor within a patient in approximately equal amounts through the tubes defined in the drug delivery segment.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the outside surface of the drug delivery segment is substantially annularly grooveless.