Spray for fluent materials

• US 7,611,494 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2005
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Confluent Surgical, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Confluent Surgical, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Campbell, Patrick Kenneth, Guest, Tom, Driscoll, Arthur J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOHARSKI, CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US11/053,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20060189944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 606/213, 606/108, 604/70, 604/82, 604/191, 604/272, 604/68, 604/214
• US Class Current: 604/191
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00495 for two-component glue

Abstract

Certain embodiments relate to a sprayer or other medical apparatus for applying a biocompatible coating in situ. Such an apparatus may have a first conduit connected to a first exit opening and a second conduit connected to a second exit opening to deliver a first composition through the first conduit and a second composition through the second conduit to mix the first composition and the second composition outside both the first conduit and the second conduit. The first composition may be, e.g., a precursor to a material formed after the mixing of the first composition and the second composition. The first exit opening and the second exit opening may be approximately adjacent to each other and define an angle that is less than about 140 degrees.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus for applying a biocompatible coating in situ comprising:

an elongated barrel having a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis;

a first conduit having a distal end extending beyond the distal end of the elongated barrel and defining a first exit opening;

a second conduit having a distal end extending beyond the distal end of the elongated barrel and defining a second exit opening, the distal end of the first conduit being spaced from the distal end of the second conduit, the first and second conduits being configured to deliver a first composition through the first conduit and a second composition through the second conduit, the first and second exit openings being positioned externally of the elongated barrel to mix the first composition and the second composition externally of the elongated barrel and the first and second conduits,

a first gas flow conduit positioned about the first conduit and defining a first gas flow outlet adjacent the distal end of the elongated barrel; and

a second gas flow conduit positioned about the second conduit and defining a second gas flow outlet adjacent the distal end of the elongated barrel;

wherein the first composition comprises a precursor to a material formed after the mixing of the first composition and the second composition, and

wherein the distal end of the first conduit has a first beveled tip defining the first exit opening positioned externally of the elongated barrel, the first exit opening defining a first plane, which is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first conduit and the distal end of the second conduit has a second beveled tip defining the second exit opening positioned externally of the elongated barrel, the second exit opening defining a second plane having a second axis which is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the second conduit, the first axis intersecting the second axis of a position distal of the first and second beveled tips to define an interior angle that is less than about 140 degrees, the first and second beveled tips being oriented to minimize cross-contamination of the first and second compositions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle is between about 120 degrees and about 30 degrees.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a gas exiting the gas flow outlets propel the first and second components out of the first and second openings, respectively.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gap having a length defined by a shortest distance separating the gas flow outlet from the first opening.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the length of the gap is between about 0.1 mm and about 7 mm.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vent hole for venting excess pressure within the tissue cavity.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first chamber fluidly connected to the first conduit and a second chamber fluidly connected to the second conduit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first chamber is detachably coupled to the first conduit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for regulating a rate at which the first composition and the second composition flow from the first and second exit openings, respectively.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening is the terminus of the first conduit, and the second opening is the terminus of the second conduit, wherein the elongated barrel surrounds at least a portion of the first conduit and the second conduit, and the gas flow outlets are defined by the spaces between first opening, the second opening, and an opening of the elongated barrel through which the first conduit and the second conduit pass.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle defines the distal tip of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal ends of the first conduit and the second conduit extend beyond the distal end of the elongated barrel at a distance between about 0.1 mm and about 7 mm.

13. A medical apparatus for applying a biocompatible coating in situ comprising:

an elongated barrel having a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis;

a first conduit having a distal end extending beyond the distal end of the elongated barrel and defining a first exit opening; and

a second conduit having a distal end extending beyond the distal end of the elongated barrel and defining a second exit opening, the distal end of the first conduit being spaced from the distal end of the second conduit, the first and second conduits being configured to deliver a first composition through the first conduit and a second composition through the second conduit, the first and second exit openings being positioned externally of the elongated barrel to mix the first composition and the second composition externally of the elongated barrel and the first and second conduits,

wherein the first composition comprises a precursor to a material formed after the mixing of the first composition and the second composition,

wherein the distal end of the first conduit has a first beveled tip defining the first exit opening positioned externally of the elongated barrel , the first exit opening defining a first plane, which is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the first conduit and the distal end of the second conduit has a second beveled tip defining the second exit opening positioned externally of the elongated barrel, the second exit opening defining a second plane having a second axis which is angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the second conduit, the first axis intersecting the second axis of a position distal of the first and second beveled tips to define an interior angle that is less than about 140 degrees, the first and second beveled tips being oriented to minimize cross-contamination of the first and second compositions; and

a gas flow outlet positioned about each of the first and second conduits, the gas flow outlets being positioned proximally of the first and second exit openings adjacent the distal end of the elongated barrel.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the distal end of the first conduit and the second conduit extend beyond the distal end of the elongated barrel at a distance between about 0.1 mm and about 7 mm.