초록 ▼

Medical catheters and methods are provided for dispensing and implanting materials and devices within the bodies of living beings. In one form, an implantable device or material is disposed within the operating head of a catheter which is caused to move through a body duct to a select location there

Medical catheters and methods are provided for dispensing and implanting materials and devices within the bodies of living beings. In one form, an implantable device or material is disposed within the operating head of a catheter which is caused to move through a body duct to a select location therein which location is detected either by externally scanning the body duct with radiation or ultrasonic energy or by viewing an image of the body duct adjacent the head of the catheter by means of a fiber optical viewing system including a fiber optic cable extending along the catheter. When properly located, a mechanical, electro-mechanical and/or fluidically operated mechanism in the head of the catheter is operated causing a select quantity of an implantable material or an implant to be forced from the head and caused to engage a select portion of the wall of the body duct and attach thereto to retain such implant or material in engagement therewith. In a particular form, attachment is effected by means of a biodegradeable adhesive which sets in situ per se or between the implant of implantable material and the tissue of the wall of the body duct. Thereafter the catheter is retracted and either completely removed from the wall of the body duct or is disposed at a second location and the procedure repeated with respect to a second implant or second quantity of material to be attached to the wall of the body duct.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for treating a living being with a medical material delivered to the body of said living being by means of a catheter, said method comprising: (a) disposing a select quantity of an encapsulated medical material along with a biodegradeable adhesive in the operating head of a catheter, which

A method for treating a living being with a medical material delivered to the body of said living being by means of a catheter, said method comprising: (a) disposing a select quantity of an encapsulated medical material along with a biodegradeable adhesive in the operating head of a catheter, which catheter includes means for controllably moving said encapsulated medical material and said adhesive from said operating head, (b) manipulating said catheter into and through a body duct of the body of said living being to dispose said operating head at a select location in the body of said living being, (c) operating said catheter after said operating head has reached said select location to move said encapsulated medical material and said adhesive a distance from said operating head and to dispose said medical material adhesively bonded by said adhesive against a select portion of the surface of said body duct aligned with said operating head, (d) removing said catheter from said body duct while leaving said encapsulated medical material adhered to said select portion of said body duct, (e) retaining said medical material bonded against the wall of said body duct while allowing said medical material to slowing release from encapsulation and flow to the body of said living being and effect medical treatment within the body of said living being.