Extra-amniotic administration device

Claim 1

A device for administering liquid medication to the extra-amniotic space of an impregnated uterus, comprising: an elongated, resiliently flexible tube open at opposite ends thereof and of sufficient lenth to extend through the cervix and into said extra-amniotic space of a uterus at one end and into the birth canal at the other end; first conduit means connected to the other end of said tube means and extendable through and beyond the birth canal for permitting a liquid medication to be supplied through said tube into said extra-amniotic space; first and second flanges secured to said tube and being spaced from each other along said tube by a distance approximately equal to the distance between the uterus and the birth canal at the opposite ends of the cervix; said first flange being positionable within the extra-amniotic space of said impregnated uterus directly adjacent the internal os of the cervix for preventing accidental ejection of the tube from the uterus; said second flange being cup-shaped and positionable within the birth canal closely adjacent the external os of the cervix for preventing accidental ascension of the tube relative to the uterus, said cup-shaped second flange having a central portion thereof disposed closely adjacent but slightly spaced from the external os to collect any liquid medication which seeps back through the cervix, the cup-shaped second flange having a rim which is snugly engageable with the wall of the birth canal surrounding the external os; a resiliently flexible, inflatable, substantially cylindrical member disposed between said flanges and connected to said tube to define a fluid-tight annular chamber surrounding said tube, said member when inflated snugly engaging the wall of the cervix; and second conduit means connected to said chamber within said inflatable member and extendable therefrom through and beyond said birth canal for supplying an inflating fluid to said chamber.

Claim 2

A device for administering liquid medication to the extra-amniotic space of an impregnated uterus, comprising: an elongated, resiliently flexible tube open at opposite ends thereof and of sufficient lenth to extend through the cervix and into said extra-amniotic space of a uterus at one end and into the birth canal at the other end; first conduit means connected to the other end of said tube means and extendable through and beyond the birth canal for permitting a liquid medication to be supplied through said tube into said extra-amniotic space; first and second flanges secured to said tube and being spaced from each other along said tube by a distance approximately equal to the distance between the uterus and the birth canal at the opposite ends of the cervix; said first flange being positionable within the extra-amniotic space of said impregnated uterus directly adjacent the internal os of the cervix for preventing accidental ejection of the tube from the uterus; said second flange being cup-shaped and positionable within the birth canal closely adjacent the external os of the cervix for preventing accidental ascension of the tube relative to the uterus, said cup-shaped second flange having a central portion thereof disposed closely adjacent but slightly spaced from the external os to collect any liquid medication which seeps back through the cervix, the cup-shaped second flange having a rim which is snugly engageable with the wall of the birth canal surrounding the external os; a resiliently flexible, inflatable, substantially cylindrical member disposed between said flanges and connected to said tube to define a fluid-tight annular chamber surrounding said tube, said member when inflated snugly engaging the wall of the cervix; and second conduit means connected to said chamber within said inflatable member and extendable therefrom through and beyond said birth canal for supplying an inflating fluid to said chamber.

Claim 4

A method for delivering a liquid medication into the extra-amniotic space of an impregnated uterus, comprising the steps of: providing an elongated open-ended tube having a first flange thereon adjacent one end thereof and a second cup-shaped flange which opens toward the first flange and is spaced therefrom along said tube by a preselected distance which is slightly greater than the length of the cervix; inserting the tube through the birth canal and the cervix so that said one end thereof extends into said extra-amniotic space; positioning said tube so that said first flange is disposed within the extra-amniotic space closely adjacent the internal os of the cervix for preventing accidental ejection of the tube and said second flange is disposed closely adjacent but slightly spaced from the external os of the cervix for preventing accidental insertion of the tube; causing a supply of said medication to flow through said tube and into said extra-amniotic space; preventing the escape of said medication from said extra-amniotic space into said birth canal by collecting any seepage of medication through the cervix within said cup-shaped second flange; and

Claim 5

A method for delivering a liquid medication into the extra-amniotic space of an impregnated uterus, comprising the steps of: providing an elongated open-ended tube having a first flange thereon adjacent one end thereof and a second cup-shaped flange which opens toward the first flange and is spaced therefrom along said tube by a preselected distance which is slightly greater than the length of the cervix; inserting the tube through the birth canal and the cervix so that said one end thereof extends into said extra-amniotic space; positioning said tube so that said first flange is disposed within the extra-amniotic space closely adjacent the internal os of the cervix for preventing accidental ejection of the tube and said second flange is disposed closely adjacent but slightly spaced from the external os of the cervix for preventing accidental insertion of the tube; causing a supply of said medication to flow through said tube and into said extra-amniotic space; preventing the escape of said medication from said extra-amniotic space into said birth canal by collecting any seepage of medication through the cervix within said cup-shaped second flange; and