Catheters with tracking elements and permeable membranes

• US 20050137577A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Heruth, Kenneth T., Lent, Mark S., Blanco, Justin A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,246,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/536
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0057 Catheters delivering medicament other than through a conventional lumen, e.g. porous walls or hydrogel coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0166 Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/003 characterized by features relating to least one lumen located at the distal part of the catheter, e.g. filters, plugs or valves catheter tips A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for delivering one or more drugs to one or more internal body locations (such as the cerebrospinal fluid) are disclosed. In various aspects, the systems and methods may involve catheters having infusion sections with permeable membranes and one or more tracking elements that may be used to place the infusions sections on the catheters in selected locations such as the spinal region.

Claims

1. A drug delivery catheter comprising:

an elongated body comprising a proximal end and distal end;

a lumen extending along the elongated body to a first infusion section spaced from the proximal end of the elongated body;

one or more openings in the lumen within the first infusion section;

a permeable membrane covering the one or more openings in the first infusion section; and

a first tracking element attached to the elongated body at a first selected location relative to the first infusion section.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the first selected location is proximate the first infusion section.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the first tracking element comprises a passive tracking element.

4. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the first tracking element comprises an active tracking element comprising a transmitter.

5. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a second tracking element, wherein the second tracking element is attached to the elongated body at a second selected location.

6. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the second location is proximate the first infusion section.

7. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the second tracking element operates on the same modality as the first tracking element.

8. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the second tracking element operates on a different modality as the first tracking element

9. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the permeable membrane creates a back pressure of 300 pascals or more in the lumen when the drug is delivered to the first infusion section through the lumen at a continuous rate of 2 microliters per hour.

10. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the permeable membrane comprises a molecular weight cut-off of 80 kiloDaltons or less.

11. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the first infusion section comprises an axial length of 20 mm or more.

12. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the first infusion section comprises an axial length of 320 mm or less.

13. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a second infusion section on the elongated body.

14. The catheter of claim 13, further comprising a second tracking element attached to the elongated body at a second selected location.

15. The catheter of claim 14, wherein the second selected location is proximate the second infusion section.

16. The catheter of claim 13, wherein the first infusion section is spaced apart from the second infusion section along the elongated body by an axial distance of 20 mm or more.

17. The catheter of claim 13, wherein the first infusion section is spaced apart from the second infusion section along the elongated body by an axial distance of one human vertebral level or more.

18. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising a guidewire lumen extending from the proximal end of the elongated body to the distal end of the elongated body.

19. The catheter of claim 18, further comprising a guidewire located within the guidewire lumen.

20. The catheter of claim 19, wherein the guidewire comprises a steerable guidewire.

21. The catheter of claim 19, wherein the guidewire comprises a guidewire tracking element proximate a distal end of the guidewire.

22. A drug delivery system comprising:

a drug delivery apparatus comprising a pump and a drug reservoir;

a catheter comprising;

an elongated body comprising a proximal end and distal end;

a lumen extending along the elongated body to a first infusion section spaced from the proximal end of the elongated body;

one or more openings in the lumen within the first infusion section;

a permeable membrane covering the one or more openings in the first infusion section; and

a first tracking element attached to the elongated body at a first selected location relative to the first infusion section; and

a tracking system adapted to determine the location of the first tracking element.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first selected location is proximate the first infusion section.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the first tracking element comprises a passive tracking element.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the first tracking element comprises an active tracking element comprising a transmitter.

26. The system of claim 22, further comprising a second tracking element, wherein the second tracking element is attached to the elongated body at a second selected location.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second location is proximate the first infusion section.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the second tracking element operates on the same modality as the first tracking element.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the second tracking element operates on a different modality as the first tracking element

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the permeable membrane creates a back pressure of 300 pascals or more in the lumen when the drug is delivered to the first infusion section through the lumen at a continuous rate of 2 microliters per hour.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the permeable membrane comprises a molecular weight cut-off of 80 kiloDaltons or less.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein the first infusion section comprises an axial length of 20 mm or more.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein the first infusion section comprises an axial length of 320 mm or less.

34. The system of claim 22, further comprising a second infusion section on the elongated body.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising a second tracking element attached to the elongated body at a second selected location.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the second selected location is proximate the second infusion section.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the first infusion section is spaced apart from the second infusion section along the elongated body by an axial distance of 20 mm or more.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the first infusion section is spaced apart from the second infusion section along the elongated body by an axial distance of one human vertebral level or more.

39. The system of claim 22, further comprising a guidewire lumen extending from the proximal end of the elongated body to the distal end of the elongated body.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a guidewire located within the guidewire lumen.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the guidewire comprises a steerable guidewire.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the guidewire comprises a guidewire tracking element proximate a distal end of the guidewire.

43. The system of claim 22, wherein the drug delivery apparatus comprises an implantable drug delivery apparatus.

44. A method of locating a drug delivery catheter within a spinal region, the method comprising:

providing a catheter comprising;

an elongated body comprising a proximal end and distal end;

a lumen extending along the elongated body to a first infusion section spaced from the proximal end of the elongated body;

one or more openings in the lumen within the first infusion section; and

a permeable membrane covering the one or more openings in the first infusion section; and

a first tracking element attached to the elongated body at a first selected location relative to the first infusion section;

introducing the catheter into the spinal region of a subject;

tracking the tracking element on the catheter to determine the position of the first infusion section within the spinal region; and

advancing the catheter into the spinal region until the first infusion section is at a selected location within the spinal region.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the catheter comprises a guidewire lumen, and wherein advancing the catheter comprises advancing the catheter over a guidewire located in the guidewire lumen.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the guidewire comprises a guidewire tracking element, and wherein the method further comprises tracking the guidewire tracking element to determine the position of the guidewire within the spinal region.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the selected location for the first infusion section comprises the dorsal side of the spinal cord.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the selected location for the first infusion section comprises the ventral side of the spinal cord.