Catheter for uniform delivery of medication

• US 7,004,923 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avent Incorporated (Avanos Medical, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: I-Flow Corporation (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Deniega, Jose Castillo, Massengale, Roger, Rake, Kenneth W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maiorino, Roz
• Application Number:
  US10/104,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20030181887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 604 9504- 9505, 604/220, 604/264, 604523-525, 604/252, 604/8, 604/164.02, 604/282, 604/93.01, 604/27, 604167-164, 604 4- 48, 604324-328, 600/585, 606/108
• US Class Current: 604/4.01
• 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 2025/0073 Tip designed for influencing the flow or the flow velocity of the fluid, e.g. inserts for twisted or vortex flow general flow characteristics A61M2206/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/00 Catheters; Hollow probes dilators A61M29/00; peritoneal catheters A61M1/285; tracheal tubes A61M16/04; for drainage A61M27/00; for uterus, vagina or rectum A61M31/00 ; for measuring or testing A61B; materials for catheters A61L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0023 by the form of the lumen, e.g. cross-section, variable diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0068 Static characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. shape, atraumatic tip, curved tip or tip structure
• 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 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/00 Dilators with or without means for introducing media, e.g. remedies instruments for performing visual medical inspections of cavities or tubes of the body A61B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1028 by bending, drawing or stretch forming sheet to assume shape of configured lamina while in contact therewith

Abstract

The present invention provides a catheter for the delivery of fluid medication across an anatomical region. In accordance with one embodiment, the catheter comprises an elongated tube with a plurality of exit holes along an infusion section of the catheter, and an elongated flexible porous member residing within the tube and forming an annular space between the tube and the member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes a tube having a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of the tube. The exit holes may combine to form a flow-restricting orifice of the catheter. Advantageously, fluid within the catheter flows through all of the exit holes, resulting in uniform distribution of fluid within an anatomical region. In one particular embodiment, the catheter comprises a tube having elongated exit slots therein. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated tubular member made of a porous membrane. The porous membrane is configured so that a fluid introduced into an open end of the tubular member will flow through side walls of the tubular member at a substantially uniform rate along a length of the tubular member. In accordance with other embodiments, the catheter includes an elongated “weeping” tubular coil spring attached to an end of, or enclosed within, a tube. Fluid within the spring and greater than or equal to a threshold pressure advantageously flows radially outward between the spring coils. Advantageously, the fluid is dispensed substantially uniformly throughout a length of the spring.

Claims

1. A catheter for the delivery of a fluid to an anatomical region, comprising:

an elongated, tubular catheter body having a closed distal end, a distal portion of said catheter body defining an infusion section of said catheter, said infusion section configured to permit fluid to pass through said catheter body;

a member having adjacent coils, wherein an outer surface of said adjacent coils, in a relaxed position of said member, are in contact with one another in at least a portion of said member, said member having a first end and a second end and being enclosed within a lumen of said catheter body and extending at least a length of said infusion section; and

wherein at least one of said first end and said second end of said member is secured to said catheter body.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein only one of said first end and said second end of said member is secured to said catheter body.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said infusion section of said catheter comprises a plurality of exit holes in said catheter body.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said member has about 200 coils per inch of length.

5. The catheter of claim 1, wherein a portion of an outer surface of said member contacts a portion of an inner surface of said catheter body.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said member is secured to said catheter body with a U.V. adhesive.

17. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said adjacent coils in a section of said member between said first and second ends are not secured to said catheter body.

18. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said member is stainless steel.

7. A catheter for the uniform delivery of fluid throughout an anatomical region, comprising:

an elongated tube having a closed distal end and a plurality of exit holes in a side wall of said tube, said exit holes provided along a length of said tube defining an infusion section of said catheter, said tube being sized to be inserted into an anatomical region; and

a member having adjacent coils, wherein an outer surface of said adjacent coils, in a relaxed position of said member, are in contact with one another in at least a portion of said member, said member having a first end and a second end and being enclosed within a lumen of said tube and extending at least a length of said infusion section, one of said first end and said second end being secured to said tube;

wherein said catheter is configured so that a fluid introduced into a proximal end of said tube will flow between said coils of said member and through said exit holes.

8. The catheter of claim 7, wherein said member has about 200 coils per inch of length.

9. The catheter of claim 7, wherein a portion of an outer surface of said member contacts a portion of an inner surface of said side wall of said tube.

10. The catheter of claim 7, wherein said member is secured to said tube with a U.V. adhesive.

19. The catheter of claim 7, wherein said adjacent coils in a section of said member between said first and second ends are not secured to said catheter body.

20. The catheter of claim 7, wherein said member is stainless steel.

11. A catheter for the delivery of a fluid to an anatomical region, comprising:

an elongated, tubular catheter body having a closed distal end, a distal portion of said catheter body defining an infusion section of said catheter, said infusion section configured to permit fluid to pass through said catheter body;

a member comprising a plurality of coils adjacent to one another, wherein in a relaxed position of said member an outer surface of each of said coils contacting at least a portion of an outer surface of an adjacent one of said coils, said member having a first end and a second end and being enclosed within a lumen of said catheter body and extending at least a length of said infusion section; and

wherein at least one of said first end and said second end of said member is secured to said catheter body.

12. The catheter of claim 11, wherein only one of said first end and said second end of said member is secured to said catheter body.

13. The catheter of claim 11, wherein said infusion section of said catheter comprises a plurality of exit holes in said catheter body.

14. The catheter of claim 11, wherein said member has about 200 coils per inch of length.

15. The catheter of claim 11, wherein a portion of an outer surface of said member contacts a portion of an inner surface of said catheter body.

16. The catheter of claim 11, wherein said member is secured to said catheter body with a U.V. adhesive.

21. The catheter of claim 11, wherein said coils in a section of said member between said first and second ends are not secured to said catheter body.

22. The catheter of claim 11, wherein said member is stainless steel.

23. A catheter, comprising:

an elongated, tubular catheter body having a closed distal end, a distal portion of said catheter body defining an fluid passing section of said catheter, said fluid passing section configured to permit fluid to pass through said catheter body;

a member comprising a plurality of coils adjacent to one another, an outer surface of each of said coils contacting at least a portion of an outer surface of an adjacent one of said coils, said member having a first end and a second end and being enclosed within a lumen of said catheter body and extending at least a length of said fluid passing section; and

wherein at least a portion of said member is secured to said catheter body.

24. The catheter of claim 23, wherein only one of said first end and said second end of said member is secured to said catheter body.

25. The catheter of claim 23, wherein said fluid passing section of said catheter comprises a plurality of exit holes in said catheter body.

26. The catheter of claim 23, wherein said member has about 200 coils per inch of length.

27. The catheter of claim 23, wherein a portion of an outer surface of said member contacts a portion of an inner surface of said catheter body.

28. The catheter of claim 23, wherein said member is secured to said catheter body with a U.V. adhesive.

29. The catheter of claim 23, wherein said coils in a section of said member between said first and second ends are not secured to said catheter body.

30. The catheter of claim 23, wherein said member is stainless steel.