Methods and devices for treating tissue
First Claim
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1. A method of performing a transforaminal epidural injection to deliver substances into an injection site in an epidural space of a patient, the method comprising:
- providing a needle cannula having a needle lumen and an injection tubing having a distal portion with a blunt tip and extending through the needle lumen, where the injection tubing comprises an injection lumen where the injection tubing comprises a flexible material that deflects away from structures in the body such as blood vessels, nerves, or bone;
fluidly coupling a source of a radiopaque material to the injection lumen;
inserting a distal end of the needle cannula so that it is spaced a distance from the intended injection site, such that the needle cannula is spaced from the epidural space;
advancing the blunt tip of the injection tubing from the needle cannula and distally through a vertebral foramen into the epidural space while the needle cannula is proximally spaced from the epidural space, to advance the blunt tip into the epidural space;
delivering the radiopaque material through the injection lumen to the epidural space to verify placement of the blunt tip of the injection tubing; and
delivering a first therapeutic substance through the injection lumen to the epidural space.
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Abstract
Device and method are provided for diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries to the spine by injecting drugs into the diseased or injured area. The device and method of the subject invention provide improvements to patient and operator safety, along with ease-of-use and convenience improvements over conventional techniques.
157 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of performing a transforaminal epidural injection to deliver substances into an injection site in an epidural space of a patient, the method comprising:
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providing a needle cannula having a needle lumen and an injection tubing having a distal portion with a blunt tip and extending through the needle lumen, where the injection tubing comprises an injection lumen where the injection tubing comprises a flexible material that deflects away from structures in the body such as blood vessels, nerves, or bone; fluidly coupling a source of a radiopaque material to the injection lumen; inserting a distal end of the needle cannula so that it is spaced a distance from the intended injection site, such that the needle cannula is spaced from the epidural space; advancing the blunt tip of the injection tubing from the needle cannula and distally through a vertebral foramen into the epidural space while the needle cannula is proximally spaced from the epidural space, to advance the blunt tip into the epidural space; delivering the radiopaque material through the injection lumen to the epidural space to verify placement of the blunt tip of the injection tubing; and delivering a first therapeutic substance through the injection lumen to the epidural space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of performing a transforaminal injection to deliver a substance at an injection site near a vertebral body in a patient, the method comprising:
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providing an injection system including a needle cannula having a needle lumen extending therethrough and an injection tubing having a curved shape at a distal portion, where the injection tubing is slidably located in the needle lumen to move between a retracted position and a deployed position, where in the retracted position the injection tubing remains within the needle lumen and in the deployed position, the injection tubing extends out of a far end of the needle cannula; advancing a tip of the needle cannula into the patient so that the tip is positioned adjacent to the vertebral body so that the tip is proximally spaced a distance from the epidural space; and advancing the distal portion of the injection tubing from the tip of the needle cannula through a vertebral foramen and into the epidural space by advancing the injection tubing within the needle cannula such that the distal portion exits the needle cannula along a curved path to bias towards a posterior aspect of the foramen and assumes the curved shape. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification