Endoluminal delivery of anesthesia

• US 9,295,817 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2012
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silk Road Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silk Road Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desanto, Matthew F
• Application Number:
  US13/674,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20130172852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 604/500, 604508-512
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 6/487 involving fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 19/00 Local anaesthesia syringes therefor A61M5/00; Hypothermia A61M5/42 takes precedence; cooling blood in a bypass of the arterial system A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/009 the needle having a bent tip, i.e. the needle distal tip is angled in relation to the longitudinal axis of the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/12 Blood circulatory system
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0084 being one or more injection needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence
• 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 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media

Abstract

Described herein are methods and devices for selectively applying fluids (particularly anesthetics) to a target tissue from within a blood vessel while minimizing the amount of fluid applied to non-target tissue. The injection catheters described herein may include an elongate body, a directional injector, and one or more holdfasts for securing the catheter before extending the injector. The methods of selectively applying anesthetic to a target structure generally include the steps of inserting an injection catheter into a body vessel, positioning the injection catheter within the body vessel near the target structure, anchoring the injection catheter before extending a directional injector from the injection catheter, and applying anesthetic from the injection catheter to the target structure.

Claims

1. A method of applying anesthetic to a target structure from within a body vessel without substantially applying anesthetic to non-target structures, the method comprising:

inserting an injection catheter into a body vessel, wherein the injection catheter comprises a directional injector configured to apply anesthetic selectively to the target structure, wherein the target structure comprises a region surrounding the sinus nerve;

positioning the injection catheter within the body vessel near the target structure;

anchoring the injection catheter by deploying a stiff member to which the injection catheter couples;

extending the directional injector to deliver anesthetic to the target structure; and

applying anesthetic from the injection catheter to the target structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of visualizing the injection catheter.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising visualizing the injection catheter by fluoroscopic visualization.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of visualizing the application of anesthetic to the target structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of visualizing the application of anesthetic to the target structure comprises releasing radiopaque substance with the anesthetic.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of extending the directional injector comprises monitoring the orientation of the directional injector so that the directional injector is positioned near the target structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of anchoring the injection catheter comprises inflating a balloon connected to the injection catheter to secure the injection catheter within the body vessel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the target structure comprises the sinus nerve.