Postoperative anesthetic delivery device and associated method for the postoperative treatment of pain

Claim 2

Anesthesia supply means for post-operatively supplying anesthesia to the interior of a surgical wound along at least one line of sutures joining tissue at the source of the post-operative pain in the interior of the wound, the site of the surgical wound being closed following surgery, the supply means comprising an elongate flexible tubular member made of bioabsorable material, said tubular member having a proximal end portion with a continuous side wall and adapted to project from the closed wound, and a distal end portion for laying along one or more lines of sutures joining tissue closing the interior of the wound, said distal end portion comprised of at least one tubular member provided with a plurality of anesthesia discharge apertures spaced longitudinally along said distal end portion.

Claim 3

The anesthetic supply means of claim 1 wherein said distal end portion of said tubular member includes a plurality of branches, each of said branches being provided with a plurality of apertures spaced longitudinally along the respective branch.

Claim 4

Anesthesia supply means for post-operatively supplying anesthesia to the interior of a surgical wound along at least one line of sutures joining tissue at the source of the post-operative pain in the interior of the wound, the site of the surgical wound being closed following surgery, the supply means comprising an elongate flexible tubular member made of bioabsorabable material, said tubular member having a proximal end portion with a continuous side wall and a distal end portion for laying along one or more lines of sutures joining tissue closing the interior of the wound, said distal end portion provided with a plurality of anesthesia discharge apertures spaced longitudinally along said distal end portion, said tubular member having a diameter approximately equal to that of a suture thread, said distal end portion of said tubular member including a plurality of branches, each of said branches being provided with a plurality of anesthesia discharge apertures spaced longitudinally along the respective branch, further comprising means connected to said proximal end portion for injecting a local anesthetic into said tubular member.

Claim 5

Anesthesia supply means for post-operatively supplying anesthesia to the interior of a surgical wound along at least one line of sutures joining tissue at the source of the post-operative pain in the interior of the wound, the site of the surgical wound being closed following surgery, the supply means comprising an elongate flexible tubular member made of bioabsorabable material, said tubular member having a proximal end portion with a continuous side wall and a distal end portion for laying along one or more lines of sutures joining tissue closing the interior of the wound, said distal end portion provided with a plurality of anesthesia discharge apertures spaced longitudinally along said distal end portion, said tubular member having a diameter approximately equal to that of a suture thread, said distal end portion of said tubular member including a plurality of branches, each of said branches being provided with a plurality of anesthesia discharge apertures spaced longitudinally along the respective branch, further comprising means connected to said proximal end portion for injecting a local anesthetic into said tubular member.

Claim 6

The anesthetic supply means of claim 3 wherein said means for automatically injecting includes timing means for determining a time for an injection of said local anesthetic into a patient in which said distal end portion is implanted, said means for automatically injecting further including pumping means connected to said timing means for pumping said aliquot of said local anesthetic into said tubular member in response to a signal from said timing means.