METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTRODUCING ENDOLYMPHATIC INSTRUMENTATION
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- introducing a lymphatic instrument therein into a patient'"'"'s lymphatic system;
fluoroscopically imaging the patient'"'"'s lymphatic vessels as the instrument is guided therethrough;
positioning the lymphatic instrument at a selected location within the patient'"'"'s lymphatic system to deliver therapy and/or sense one or more physiological variables.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are a method and apparatus for introducing instrumentation into the lymphatic system that can be used for physiological monitoring and/or delivery of therapy. Such instrumentation, for example, may include one or more sensors for measuring physiological variables and/or one or more instruments for delivering therapy that is adapted to be disposed within a lymphatic vessel.
156 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method, comprising:
-
introducing a lymphatic instrument therein into a patient'"'"'s lymphatic system; fluoroscopically imaging the patient'"'"'s lymphatic vessels as the instrument is guided therethrough; positioning the lymphatic instrument at a selected location within the patient'"'"'s lymphatic system to deliver therapy and/or sense one or more physiological variables. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A system for introducing endolymphatic instrumentation into a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
-
a catheter incorporating a lymphatic instrument that can either be used while the catheter is in place or implanted for chronic use; a catheter controller for mechanically pushing the catheter into the lymphatic system of the patient; an electro-stimulator for providing electrical energy to an electrode of the catheter in order to cause contraction of smooth muscle in the lymphatic vessel walls and create a pressure gradient to open lymphatic valves; and
,a workstation that provides a user interface for controlling the operation of the system and which provides an output for actuating the catheter controller and electrostimulator. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification