Methods and systems for providing therapies into the pericardial space

• US 8,852,173 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sigg, Daniel C., Ujhelyi, Michael R., Morris, Mary M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sirmons, Kevin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall, Deanna K
• Application Number:
  US13/273,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 604/891.1, 604/93.01, 604/65, 607/2, 607/3
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22077 with a part piercing the tissue A61B2017/22044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3484 Anchoring means, e.g. spreading-out umbrella-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/349 Trocar with thread on outside
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1405 Patient controlled analgesia [PCA]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

Methods and systems for transvenously accessing the pericardial space via the vascular system and atrial wall, particularly through the superior vena cava and right atrial wall, to deliver a pharmacologic agent, particularly a NO-donor drug, to the heart are disclosed. A proximal connector of an infusion catheter is coupled to an infusion pump, and a distal catheter segment having a distal infusion catheter lumen end opening is disposed in the pericardial space. The implantable infusion pump is operable in conjunction with an implantable ischemia monitor to monitor the ischemic state and trigger delivery or regulate the periodic delivery of the pharmacologic agent to optimally treat ischemia. The patient may operate a patient activator that the patient when feeling ischemia symptoms to transmit a signal that is received by the implantable infusion pump and triggers delivery of a bolus and/or continuous infusion.

Claims

1. A method of accessing the pericardial space between a heart and its pericardium to deliver a pharmacologic agent for the treatment of ischemia to the heart, the method comprising the steps of:

advancing an infusion catheter to dispose a distal catheter segment having a distal infusion catheter lumen end opening in the pericardial space;

attaching a proximal connector of the infusion catheter to an infusion pump having a reservoir containing the pharmacologic agent;

detecting an ischemic state of the heart; and

delivering the pharmacologic agent for the treatment of ischemia from the reservoir into the pericardial space to counter the detected ischemic state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a remotely transmitted therapy delivery command; and

delivering a bolus of the pharmacologic agent.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pharmacologic agent comprises NO-donor drugs selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, sodium nitroprusside, a diazenium diolate, an NO aspirin, an S-Nitrosothiol, morpholinosydnonimime and L-arginin.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing a feature of the EGM of the heart; and

detecting a characteristic of the sensed feature indicative of the ischemic state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pharmacologic agent comprises NO-donor drugs selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, sodium nitroprusside, a diazenium diolate, an NO aspirin, an S-Nitrosothiol, morpholinosydnonimime and L-arginin.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing blood pH; and

detecting a value of the sensed blood pH indicative of the ischemic state.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pharmacologic agent comprises NO-donor drugs selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, sodium nitroprusside, a diazenium diolate, an NO aspirin, an S-Nitrosothiol, morpholinosydnonimime and L-arginin.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing blood oxygen saturation; and

detecting a value of the sensed oxygen saturation indicative of the ischemic state.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pharmacologic agent comprises NO-donor drugs selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, sodium nitroprusside, a diazenium diolate, an NO aspirin, an S-Nitrosothiol, morpholinosydnonimime and L-arginin.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing one or both of blood pressure and flow in the heart; and

detecting a value of the sensed one or both of blood pressure and flow indicative of the ischemic state.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the pharmacologic agent comprises NO-donor drugs selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, sodium nitroprusside, a diazenium diolate, an NO aspirin, an S-Nitrosothiol, morpholinosydnonimime and L-arginin.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an ischemic state of the heart comprises detecting acute reversible myocardial ischemia, chronic therapy refractory angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, subacute myocardial infarction, silent ischemia, or vasospastic angina.

12. A method of transvenously accessing the pericardial space between a heart and its pericardium to deliver a NO-donor drug to the heart, the method comprising the steps of:

advancing an infusion catheter to dispose a distal catheter segment having a distal infusion catheter lumen end opening in the pericardial space;

attaching a proximal connector of the infusion catheter to an infusion pump;

detecting a condition of the heart; and

delivering a bolus of NO-donor drug.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a remotely transmitted therapy delivery command; and

delivering a bolus of the NO-donor drug.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing a feature of the EGM of the heart; and

detecting a characteristic of the sensed feature indicative of an ischemic state.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing blood pH; and

detecting a value of the sensed blood pH indicative of an ischemic state.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing blood oxygen saturation; and

detecting a value of the sensed oxygen saturation indicative of an ischemic state.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the detecting step comprises:

sensing one or both of blood pressure and flow in the heart; and

detecting a value of the sensed one or both of blood pressure and flow indicative of an ischemic state.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the advancing step comprises:

passing a fixation catheter having a fixation catheter lumen extending between proximal and distal fixation catheter lumen openings and a distal tissue fixation mechanism through a selected peripheral vein and one of the inferior vena cava and the superior vena cava to establish a transvenous route into the right atrium of the heart

disposing the distal fixation mechanism and distal fixation catheter lumen opening proximate the right atrial wall;

affixing the distal fixation mechanism to the right atrial wall;

passing an infusion catheter through the fixation catheter lumen out of the distal fixation catheter lumen opening and through the stabilized atrial wall to dispose a distal catheter segment having a distal infusion catheter lumen end opening in the pericardial space.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the advancing step comprises advancing the distal catheter segment from the right atrium through the right atrial wall.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the NO-donor drug is selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, sodium nitroprusside, a diazenium diolate, an NO aspirin, an S-Nitrosothiol, morpholinosydnonimime and L-arginin.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a condition of the heart comprises detecting acute reversible myocardial ischemia, chronic therapy refractory angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, subacute myocardial infarction, silent ischemia, or vasospastic angina.