Catheters with suction capability and related methods and systems for obtaining biosamples in vivo
First Claim
1. A method for obtaining a sample and/or treating a subject, comprising:
- positioning an elongated transurethral catheter in the prostatic urethra of a subject, the catheter having a bladder anchoring balloon, at least one biosample entry port disposed axially away from the bladder anchoring balloon, and an axially extending biosample flow channel in fluid communication with the biosample entry port positioned internally in the catheter;
inflating the anchoring balloon to position the catheter so that the biosample entry port is proximate the prostatic or membraneous urethra of the subject; and
suctioning prostatic fluid from the prostatic urethra through the biosample entry port and into the biosample flow channel.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, systems, and computer program products for obtaining a sample in vivo and/or treating a subject include positioning an elongated transurethral catheter in the prostatic urethra of a subject, the catheter having a bladder anchoring balloon, at least one biosample entry port disposed axially away from the bladder anchoring balloon, and an axially extending biosample flow channel in fluid communication with the biosample entry port held internally in the catheter. The anchoring balloon is inflated to position the catheter so that the fluid entry port is proximate the prostatic urethra of the subject and prostatic fluid is suctioned from the prostatic urethra into the biosample entry port and into the biosample flow channel. The catheter can include a thermal treatment balloon and/or dilatation balloon and the suctioned sample can be obtained concurrently with, during, or proximate in time to the applied treatment. The catheter can be configured to allow urine to drain therethrough during the treatment/collection of the sample while keeping the urine isolated from the collected prostatic fluid sample.
104 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A method for obtaining a sample and/or treating a subject, comprising:
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positioning an elongated transurethral catheter in the prostatic urethra of a subject, the catheter having a bladder anchoring balloon, at least one biosample entry port disposed axially away from the bladder anchoring balloon, and an axially extending biosample flow channel in fluid communication with the biosample entry port positioned internally in the catheter;
inflating the anchoring balloon to position the catheter so that the biosample entry port is proximate the prostatic or membraneous urethra of the subject; and
suctioning prostatic fluid from the prostatic urethra through the biosample entry port and into the biosample flow channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for treating the prostate of a subject, comprising:
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(a) inserting a catheter into the urethra of a subject, the catheter having, in serial order from the most distal portion, a bladder anchoring balloon, at least one expandable treatment balloon, and at least one fluid entry port formed in the wall of the catheter, the catheter also having an axially extending biosample flow path in fluid communication with the fluid entry port disposed internal of the catheter wall;
(b) expanding the bladder-anchoring balloon to contact and reside against the bladder neck of the subject to secure the catheter in position in the subject;
(c) heating fluid to a desired temperature;
(d) directing heated fluid to travel captured in the catheter to the at least one expandable treatment balloon;
(e) inflating the at least one treatment balloon responsive to the directing step, wherein, in position, the inflated treatment balloon takes on a radially expanded configuration and circumferentially contacts targeted tissue in the prostatic urethra;
(f) heating a targeted region in the prostatic urethra to a temperature of between about 40-67°
C. for a desired treatment time of at least about 20 minutes; and
(g) collecting a biosample comprising prostatic fluid into the fluid entry port and into the biosample flow path of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of collecting a biosample in a subject, comprising:
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inserting a catheter into the male urethra, the catheter having a biofluid travel path defined therein;
collecting a biosample from the prostatic urethra into the catheter in vivo; and
directing the biosample to travel in the biofluid travel path and to exit the body in a manner that maintains the biosample substantially void of urine. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of collecting a biosample in a subject that is substantially void of urine, comprising:
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inserting a catheter into a urethra of a subject, the catheter having a biofluid travel path defined therein;
suctioning a biosample from a targeted location along the urethra into the catheter in vivo; and
directing the suctioned biosample to travel in the biofluid travel path and to exit the body in a manner that maintains the biosample substantially void of urine. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A set of prostatic treatment catheters comprising:
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a plurality of flexible elongated catheters sized and configured to be inserted into the male urethra, each catheter having an expandable treatment balloon positioned thereon and comprising a plurality of prostate drainage ports in communication with a prostate drainage lumen held internal of the catheter, wherein the treatment balloons of the catheters in the set are configured with a length that is sized in the range of between about 1 cm to 6 cm such that, in operation, a selected treatment balloon resides above the verumontanum of the subject in the prostatic urethra. - View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A system for collecting a prostatic fluid specimen in vivo in a subject, comprising:
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a transurethral elongated catheter having an outer wall, the catheter having at least one prostate drainage port formed through the outer wall and an axially extending prostatic flow channel therein; and
a suction source in fluid communication with the at least one prostate drainage port, wherein in operation, the suction source provides a suction force sufficient to draw prostatic fluid into the at least one prostate drainage port and into the prostatic flow channel, thereby flowing out of the body of the subject so as to be able to be collected for evaluation.
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48. A system for collecting a prostatic fluid specimen in vivo in a subject and/or facilitating the administration of a treatment to a subject, comprising:
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an elongated transurethral catheter having an outer wall, the catheter comprising;
a plurality of axially extending internal fluid flow channels disposed in the catheter, an inlet circulating fluid channel, an outlet fluid circulating channel, a urinary drainage channel, and an axially extending prostatic fluid channel, wherein the prostatic fluid channel is in fluid isolation from the urine drainage and inlet and outlet channels;
an outwardly expandable treatment or dilatation balloon;
a bladder-anchoring balloon; and
at least one prostate drainage port formed through the outer wall of the catheter in fluid communication with the prostatic fluid channel;
a quantity of circulating fluid in the inlet and outlet channels;
a heater operably associated with fluid traveling in the inlet and outlet channels;
a pump operably associated with the circulating fluid to cause the fluid to circulate in the catheter;
at least one temperature sensor operably associated with the heater and the circulating fluid in the inlet and outlet channels; and
a suction source in fluid communication with the at least one prostate drainage port, wherein in operation, the suction source provides a suction force sufficient to draw prostatic fluid into the at least one prostate drainage port and into the prostatic flow channel, thereby flowing out of the body of the subject so as to be collected for evaluation. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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- 50. A transurethral catheter having an axially extending elongated body with an outer wall, the catheter comprising an anchoring balloon and at least one prostate drainage port formed through the outer wall and at least one axially extending prostate fluid collection channel located in the catheter in fluid communication with the at least one prostate drainage port, wherein, in proper position in the subject, the prostate drainage port is configured to reside proximate the verumontanum.
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54. A computer program product for obtaining a biosample of the prostatic urethra, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;
computer readable program code computer readable program code for activating and applying a suction force to a fluid channel extending from a suction source located external of the body of the subject to the prostatic urethra via a catheter that is in fluid communication with the prostate; and
computer readable program code for drawing in and capturing a biosample comprising prostatic fluid in the catheter, the captured biosample being held so that it is substantially void of urine as it is directed to exit the subject in the catheter.
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55. A computer program product for administering a thermal therapy to a subject, the thermal treatment being provided by a closed loop system having a heater, a circulating fluid pump, a suction source, and a trans-lumenal catheter configured and sized to be inserted through the urethra and having a biosample collection port and associated flow channel, and an outwardly expandable treatment balloon thereon that is configured, in operation, to expand while the catheter circulates heated fluid to heat a targeted region via the expandable treatment balloon, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;
computer readable program code for controlling the temperature of fluid circulating in the catheter so that the temperature of the fluid entering the catheter to travel to the expandable treatment balloon is between about 40-85°
C.;
computer readable program code for timing the duration of the thermal massage treatment so that the treatment has a duration of between about 5 minutes to 1.5 hours; and
computer readable program code for activating the suction source to draw a biosample from the subject into the catheter and collect the sample so that it is delivered out of the subject. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A method for treating prostatitis, comprising:
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(a) inserting a catheter with a prostatic fluid collection port and associated flow channel, a urinary drainage inlet and associated flow channel, and at least one expandable treatment balloon thereon into the urethra of a subject, the treatment balloon positioned to extend outwardly about the perimeter of a portion of the catheter;
(b) inflating the at least one treatment balloon so that, in position, the inflated treatment balloon takes on a radially expanded configuration and circumferentially contacts targeted tissue in the prostatic urethra;
(c) heating a targeted region in the prostatic urethra to a temperature of between about 40-47°
C. for a desired treatment time of at least about 20 minutes thereby administering a thermal therapy to the prostate; and
(d) collecting prostatic fluid by directing the prostatic fluid into the collection port associated channel during or proximate in time to the treatment; and
(e) allowing urine to drain through the catheter drainage channel so that it is in fluid isolation from the collected prostatic fluid in the prostatic fluid collection channel. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method for treating BPH, comprising:
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(a) inserting a catheter with a suction port and associated flow channel and at least one expandable treatment balloon thereon into the urethra of a subject, the treatment balloon positioned to extend outwardly about the perimeter of a portion of the catheter;
(b) inflating the at least one treatment balloon, wherein, in position, the inflated treatment balloon takes on a radially expanded configuration and circumferentially contacts targeted tissue in the prostatic urethra;
(c) heating a targeted region in the prostatic urethra to a temperature of between about 40-67°
C. for a desired treatment time of at least 20 minutes thereby administering a thermal therapy to the prostate; and
(d) collecting prostatic fluid in the catheter proximate in time to the treatment. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification