Systems and methods for delivering drugs to selected locations within the body

• Main Authors: MACAULAY PATRICK, EVARD PHILIP, COLLOTON ROBERT, MAKOWER JOSHUA, WHITT JASON, MACFARLANE K. ANGELA, FLAHERTY CHRISTOPHER
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.03.2010
• Subjects: BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DIAGNOSIS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PROSTHESES; SURGERY; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

A transvascular system (10) for delivering a drug to a tissue region from a blood vessel, such as a coronary vein, includes a catheter (12) having a distal portion (26) with puncturing (14), orientation (16), drug delivery (62), and imaging elements (18). The puncturing element (14) is deployable for penetrating the vessel wall to access the tissue region. The orientation element (16), e.g. a "cage" including a plurality of struts (38) (40) and/or a radiopaque marker, has a predetermined relationship with the puncturing element (14), the imaging element (18) detecting the location of the orientation element (16) with respect to the tissue region to orient the puncturing element. The catheter (12) is percutaneously introducing into the vessel, the puncturing element (14) is oriented towards the tissue region, the puncturing element (14) is deployed to access the tissue region, and the drug is delivered to the tissue region. An ablation device (230) may also be deployed to create a cavity or fluid reservoir in the tissue region for receiving the drug therein, or an indwelling catheter (214) may be advanced into and left in the tissue region.