Catheter and method for the prevention and/or treatment of stenotic processes of vessels and cavities

Claim 2

A catheter device for treating a living body having a treatable surface, comprising: (a) an elongated flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; (b) a catheter tip having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal catheter tip end being joined to said catheter distal shaft end; (c) said tip comprising at least two spaced, inflatable cheer balloons which, when inflated in said body serve to form a treatment site in the space formed between said chamber balloons; (d) an inflatable treatment balloon consisting essentially of an inflatable, porous material, said treatment balloon being disposed on said tip and positioned between said spaced cheer balloons; (e) means associated with said inflatable treatment balloon for treating said treatment site when said chamber and treatment balloons are inflated, said treatment means comprising a material having a structure substantially similar to the physiological structure of said surface of said body; (f) flushing means for (i) supplying material to and/or (ii) removing fluid and/or debris from said chamber; and, (g) means for allowing flow of body fluid from the proximal side to the distal side of said catheter tip when any of said balloons is in an inflated state.

Claim 3

A device as recited in claim 1 wherein: said treatment means comprises means for providing a material to said body which is suitable for treatment and/or prophylaxis of pathological conditions or functions of said living body.

Claim 4

A device as recited in claim 1 wherein: said treatment means comprises means for providing endothelial cells to said living body.

Claim 5

A device as recited in claim 1 wherein: said treatment means comprises means for providing a slurry to said living body.

Claim 6

A device as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a conduit located in said flexible shaft.

Claim 7

A device as recited in claim 1 wherein: (1) said surface comprises endothelial cells, and (2) said treatment means comprises material substantially similar to said endothelial cells.

Claim 8

A device as recited in claim 1 wherein: said treatment means comprises a material selected from the group consisting of endothelial cells, homologues of endothelial cells, inverted homologues of endothelial cells, heterologues of endothelial cells, inverted heterologues of endothelial cells, autologues of endothelial cells, and inverted autologues of endothelial cells.

Claim 9

A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said flushing means comprises means for supplying a medication to said chamber.

Claim 10

A catheter device for treating a living body having a treatable surface, comprising: (a) an elongated flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; (b) a catheter tip having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal catheter tip end being joined to said catheter distal shaft end; (c) said tip comprising at least two spaced, inflatable chamber balloons adapted to form a space between said chamber balloons when said chamber balloons are inflated; (d) an inflatable treatment balloon having an exterior wall surface, said treatment balloon consisting essentially of an inflatable, porous material and being disposed on said tip between said spaced chamber balloons; (e) a coating membrane releasably disposed on said exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon, said membrane releasable from said treatment balloon and maintainable on a body wall surface, said membrane comprising a material having a structure substantially similar to the physiological structure of said surface of said body; (f) means for displacing said membrane from the exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon when said catheter tip is inserted in a living body and said treatment balloon is inflated; (g) flushing means for (i) supplying material to and/or (ii) removing fluid and/or debris from said chamber; and, (h) means for allowing flow of body fluid from the proximal side to the distal side of said catheter tip when any of said balloons is in an inflated state.

Claim 11

A catheter device for treating a living body having a treatable surface, comprising: (a) an elongated flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; (b) a catheter tip having a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal catheter tip end being joined to said catheter distal shaft end; (c) said tip comprising at least two spaced, inflatable chamber balloons adapted to form a space between said chamber balloons when said chamber balloons are inflated; (d) an inflatable treatment balloon having an exterior wall surface, said treatment balloon consisting essentially of an inflatable, porous material and being disposed on said tip between said spaced chamber balloons; (e) a coating membrane releasably disposed on said exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon, said membrane releasable from said treatment balloon and maintainable on a body wall surface, said membrane comprising a material having a structure substantially similar to the physiological structure of said surface of said body; (f) means for displacing said membrane from the exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon when said catheter tip is inserted in a living body and said treatment balloon is inflated; (g) flushing means for (i) supplying material to and/or (ii) removing fluid and/or debris from said chamber; and, (h) means for allowing flow of body fluid from the proximal side to the distal side of said catheter tip when any of said balloons is in an inflated state.

Claim 12

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said releasable coating membrane comprises a material which is suitable for treatment and/or prophylaxis of pathological conditions or functions of said living body.

Claim 13

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said catheter comprises means for treating a body vessel or cavity; said vessel or cavity has a wall surface; and said membrane comprises a material which is substantially similar to the material forming the wall surface.

Claim 14

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said membrane comprises human endothelial cells.

Claim 15

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said membrane comprises an autologue of endothelial cells.

Claim 16

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said membrane comprises a heterologue of endothelial cells.

Claim 17

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said membrane comprises denaturalized endothelial cells.

Claim 18

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein said means for displacing the membrane from the exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon comprises: means for creating pressure differences to form a fluid flow through said porous balloon.

Claim 19

A device as recited in claim 9 and further comprising: means for removing said coating membrane from the exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon.

Claim 20

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: (1) said surface comprises endothelial cells, and (2) said membrane comprises a material substantially similar to said endothelial cells.

Claim 21

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein: said membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of endothelial cells, homologues of endothelial cells, inverted homologues of endothelial cells, heterologues of endothelial cells, inverted heterologues of endothelial cells, autologues of endothelial cells, and inverted autologues of endothelial cells.

Claim 22

A device as recited in claim 9 wherein said flushing means comprises means for supplying a medication to said chamber.

Claim 25

A method as recited in claim 21 wherein: said treatment comprises a material suitable for the treatment or prophylaxis of pathological conditions or functions of the surface of the walls of said vessel or cavity.

Claim 26

A method as recited in claim 21 wherein: said treatment comprises a slurry which includes endothelial cells.

Claim 27

A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising: applying pressure with said treatment balloon on said body vessel or cavity sufficient to maintain said treatment on said isolated portion of said body vessel or cavity.

Claim 28

A method as recited in claim 21 wherein: (1) said surface comprises endothelial cells, and (2) said treatment comprises a material substantially similar to said endothelial cells.

Claim 29

A method as recited in claim 21 wherein: said treatment comprises a material selected from the group consisting of endothelial cells, homologues of endothelial cells, inverted homologues of endothelial cells, heterologues of endothelial cells, inverted heterologues of endothelial cells, autologues of endothelial cells, and inverted autologues of endothelial cells.

Claim 30

A method as recited in claim 21, and further comprising: supplying a medication comprising a smooth muscle cell proliferation inhibitor to said isolated portion of said vessel or cavity prior to and after inflating said treatment balloon.

Claim 31

A method as recited in claim 21, and further comprising: supplying a medication comprising an adhesive agent to said isolated portion of said vessel or cavity.

Claim 32

A method as recited in claim 21 wherein said vessel or cavity is a blood vessel.

Claim 35

A method as recited in claim 21 or 30, and further comprising: draining body fluid from said isolated portion of said vessel or cavity after inflating said chamber balloons.

Claim 36

A method as recited in claim 30 wherein: said coating membrane is formed of a material suitable for the treatment or prophylaxis of pathological conditions or functions of the surface of the walls of said vessel or cavity.

Claim 37

A method as recited in claim 30 wherein: said membrane comprises endothelial cells.

Claim 38

A method as recited in claim 30 and further comprising: providing said treatment balloon with a porous balloon wall; and directing a fluid through said porous wall whereby said membrane is released from said exterior wall surface of said treatment balloon and displaced on to said inner wall body vessel or cavity surface.

Claim 39

A method as recited in claim 30, and further comprising: treating said isolated portion of said vessel or cavity with medication after displacing said coating membrane to the inner wall surface of said vessel or cavity.

Claim 42

A method as recited in claim 30, further comprising: releasing said membrane from said treatment balloon onto said isolated portion while maintaining pressure by said treatment balloon on said membrane and inner wall surface.

Claim 43

A method as recited in claim 30 wherein: (1) said surface comprises endothelial cells, and (2) said membrane comprises a material substantially similar to said endothelial cells.

Claim 44

A method as recited in claim 30 wherein: said membrane comprises a material selected from the group consisting of endothelial cells, homologues of endothelial cells, inverted homologues of endothelial cells, heterologues of endothelial cells, inverted heterologues of endothelial cells, autologues of endothelial cells, and inverted autologues of endothelial cells.

Claim 45

A method as recited in claim 30 wherein said vessel or cavity is a blood vessel.

Claim 47

A method as recited in claim 42 wherein: said medication comprises a smooth muscle cell proliferation inhibitor.

Claim 48

A method as recited in claim 42 wherein: said medication comprises an adhesive agent or material.