Infusion catheter

Claim 2

An infusion and dilatation device for insertion into a vessel, duct, or passage in the body of a patient, comprising: a dilatation catheter having an elongate, flexible catheter tube defining an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable element near the distal end of the catheter tube, and wherein the inflatable element is inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; an elongate, flexible infusion tube internally dimensioned so as to allow the catheter tube to be disposed concentrically therein, and having a distal end; and an expansible sleeve, on the infusion tube near the distal end thereof, that assumes a contracted position when the inflatable element is in the deflated state and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state, the sleeve comprising a perforated tubular element defining a deformable expansible network of spacer elements, wherein the sleeve is permanently deformable to its expanded position; whereby, when the catheter tube is disposed within the infusion tube, (a) an infusion lumen is defined between the catheter tube and the infusion tube, (b) the infusion lumen has a distal end proximal to the sleeve, and (c) the sleeve concentrically surrounds the inflatable element so as to be deformable into an expanded position by the inflation of the inflatable element; and whereby the spacer elements create an interstice between the inflatable element and a surrounding interior tissue surface of the vessel, duct, or passage for fluid flow axially from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the inflatable element when the sleeve is in its expanded position.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein the outside diameter of the sleeve is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the infusion tube when the sleeve is in the contracted position.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1, wherein the spacing between the spacer elements is at a minimum when the sleeve is in its contracted position, and at a maximum when the sleeve is in its expanded position, the minimum spacing being sufficient to permit the passage of a liquid therapeutic agent therethrough.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the catheter tube extends distally through the distal end of the infusion tube, and wherein the sleeve is coaxially attached between the distal end of the infusion tube and the distally extended portion of the catheter tube.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4, wherein the sleeve is joined to the distal end of the infusion tube by an elastomeric proximal sealing element and to the distally extended portion of the catheter tube by an elastomeric distal sealing element, the proximal and distal sealing elements being displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position.

Claim 7

The device of claim 5, wherein the sleeve is detachably joined to the proximal and distal sealing elements.

Claim 8

An infusion and dilatation device for insertion into a vessel, duct, or passage in the body of a patient, comprising: a dilatation catheter having an elongate, flexible catheter tube defining an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable element near the distal end of the catheter tube, and wherein the inflatable element is inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; an elongate, flexible infusion tube internally dimensioned so as to allow the catheter tube to be disposed concentrically therein, and having a distal end; and an expansible sleeve, on the infusion tube near the distal end thereof, and comprising an expansible network of spacer elements, wherein the sleeve assumes a contracted position when the inflatable element is in the deflated state and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state, and wherein the sleeve is connected to the infusion tube by an elastomeric sealing element that is displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position; whereby, when the catheter tube is disposed within the infusion tube, (a) an infusion lumen is defined between the catheter tube and the infusion tube, (b) the infusion lumen has a distal end proximal to the sleeve, and (c) the sleeve concentrically surrounds the inflatable element so as to be deformable into an expanded position by the inflation of the inflatable element; and whereby the spacer elements create an interstice between the inflatable element and a surrounding interior tissue surface of the vessel, duct, or passage for fluid flow axially from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the inflatable element when the sleeve is in its expanded position.

Claim 9

An infusion and dilatation device for insertion into a vessel, duct, or passage in the body of a patient, comprising: a dilatation catheter having an elongate, flexible catheter tube defining an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable element near the distal end of the catheter tube, and wherein the inflatable element is inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; an elongate, flexible infusion tube internally dimensioned so as to allow the catheter tube to be disposed concentrically therein, and having a distal end; and an expansible sleeve, on the infusion tube near the distal end thereof, and comprising an expansible network of spacer elements, wherein the sleeve assumes a contracted position when the inflatable element is in the deflated state and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state, and wherein the sleeve is connected to the infusion tube by an elastomeric sealing element that is displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position; whereby, when the catheter tube is disposed within the infusion tube, (a) an infusion lumen is defined between the catheter tube and the infusion tube, (b) the infusion lumen has a distal end proximal to the sleeve, and (c) the sleeve concentrically surrounds the inflatable element so as to be deformable into an expanded position by the inflation of the inflatable element; and whereby the spacer elements create an interstice between the inflatable element and a surrounding interior tissue surface of the vessel, duct, or passage for fluid flow axially from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the inflatable element when the sleeve is in its expanded position.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7, wherein the outside diameter of the sleeve is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the infusion tube when the sleeve is in the contracted position.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7, wherein the spacing between the spacer elements is at a minimum when the sleeve is in its contracted position, and at a maximum when the sleeve is in its expanded position, the minimum spacing being sufficient to permit the passage of a liquid therapeutic agent therethrough.

Claim 12

An infusion and dilatation device for insertion into a vessel, duct, or passage in the body of a patient, comprising: a dilatation catheter having an elongate, flexible catheter tube defining an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable element near the distal end of the catheter tube, and wherein the inflatable element is inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; an elongate, flexible infusion tube internally dimensioned so as to allow the catheter tube to be disposed concentrically therein, and having a main tube portion and a distal end portion; and an expansible sleeve attached coaxially to the infusion tube between the main tube portion and the distal end portion thereof, and that assumes a contracted position when the inflatable element is in the deflated state and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state, the sleeve comprising a resiliently expansible network of spacer elements, whereby the sleeve has sufficient shape memory to return substantially to its contracted position after having been expanded to its expanded position; wherein the sleeve is joined to the main tube portion by an elastomeric proximal sealing element and to the distal end portion by an elastomeric distal sealing element, the proximal and distal sealing elements being displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position; whereby, when the catheter tube is disposed within the infusion tube, (a) an infusion lumen is defined between the catheter tube and the infusion tube, (b) the infusion lumen has a distal end proximal to the sleeve, and (c) the sleeve concentrically surrounds the inflatable element so as to be deformable into an expanded position by the inflation of the inflatable element; and whereby the spacer elements create an interstice between the inflatable element and a surrounding interior tissue surface of the vessel, duct, or passage for fluid flow axially from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the inflatable element when the sleeve is in its expanded position.

Claim 13

An infusion and dilatation device for insertion into a vessel, duct, or passage in the body of a patient, comprising: a dilatation catheter having an elongate, flexible catheter tube defining an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable element near the distal end of the catheter tube, and wherein the inflatable element is inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; an elongate, flexible infusion tube internally dimensioned so as to allow the catheter tube to be disposed concentrically therein, and having a main tube portion and a distal end portion; and an expansible sleeve attached coaxially to the infusion tube between the main tube portion and the distal end portion thereof, and that assumes a contracted position when the inflatable element is in the deflated state and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state, the sleeve comprising a resiliently expansible network of spacer elements, whereby the sleeve has sufficient shape memory to return substantially to its contracted position after having been expanded to its expanded position; wherein the sleeve is joined to the main tube portion by an elastomeric proximal sealing element and to the distal end portion by an elastomeric distal sealing element, the proximal and distal sealing elements being displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position; whereby, when the catheter tube is disposed within the infusion tube, (a) an infusion lumen is defined between the catheter tube and the infusion tube, (b) the infusion lumen has a distal end proximal to the sleeve, and (c) the sleeve concentrically surrounds the inflatable element so as to be deformable into an expanded position by the inflation of the inflatable element; and whereby the spacer elements create an interstice between the inflatable element and a surrounding interior tissue surface of the vessel, duct, or passage for fluid flow axially from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the inflatable element when the sleeve is in its expanded position.

Claim 14

The device of claim 10, wherein the outside diameter of the sleeve is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the infusion tube when the sleeve is in the contracted position.

Claim 15

The device of claim 10, wherein the spacing between the spacer elements is at a minimum when the sleeve is in its contracted position, and at a maximum when the sleeve is in its expanded position, the minimum spacing being sufficient to permit the passage of a liquid therapeutic agent therethrough.

Claim 16

The device of claim 10, wherein the sleeve is permanently fixed to the proximal and distal sealing elements.

Claim 17

A dilatation and infusion device for insertion into a vessel, passage, or duct in the body of a patient, comprising: a first elongate, flexible, hollow tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inflation lumen; an inflatable element near the distal end of the first tube and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen so as to be inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by an inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; a second elongate, flexible, hollow tube concentrically disposed around the first tube so as to define an infusion lumen between the first and second tubes, the second tube comprising a main tube portion and a distal end portion, the infusion lumen having a distal end terminating in the main tube portion; an expansible sleeve coaxially connected between the main tube portion and the distal end portion of the second tube, in fluid communication with the distal end of the infusion lumen, and concentrically surrounding the inflatable element so as to be expansible to an expanded position in response to the inflation of the inflatable element, the sleeve comprising an expansible network of spacer elements defining an interstice between the inflatable element and an interior tissue surface of the vessel, passage, or duct when it is in its expanded position, thereby providing an axial fluid flow path from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the exterior of the inflatable element, wherein the sleeve assumes a contracted position, having an outside diameter that is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the main tube portion of the second tube, when the inflatable element is in the deflated state, and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state; and elastomeric proximal and distal sealing elements respectively joining the sleeve to the main tube portion and the distal end tube portion, the proximal and distal sealing elements being displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position.

Claim 18

A dilatation and infusion device for insertion into a vessel, passage, or duct in the body of a patient, comprising: a first elongate, flexible, hollow tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and an inflation lumen; an inflatable element near the distal end of the first tube and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen so as to be inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by an inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; a second elongate, flexible, hollow tube concentrically disposed around the first tube so as to define an infusion lumen between the first and second tubes, the second tube comprising a main tube portion and a distal end portion, the infusion lumen having a distal end terminating in the main tube portion; an expansible sleeve coaxially connected between the main tube portion and the distal end portion of the second tube, in fluid communication with the distal end of the infusion lumen, and concentrically surrounding the inflatable element so as to be expansible to an expanded position in response to the inflation of the inflatable element, the sleeve comprising an expansible network of spacer elements defining an interstice between the inflatable element and an interior tissue surface of the vessel, passage, or duct when it is in its expanded position, thereby providing an axial fluid flow path from the distal end of the infusion lumen to the interstice and thereby to the interior tissue surface around the exterior of the inflatable element, wherein the sleeve assumes a contracted position, having an outside diameter that is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the main tube portion of the second tube, when the inflatable element is in the deflated state, and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state; and elastomeric proximal and distal sealing elements respectively joining the sleeve to the main tube portion and the distal end tube portion, the proximal and distal sealing elements being displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position.

Claim 19

The device of claim 14, wherein the sleeve is permanently fixed to the proximal and distal sealing elements.

Claim 20

A dilatation and infusion device, comprising: a first elongate, flexible, hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having an inflation lumen; an inflatable element near the distal end of the first tube and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen so as to be inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; a second, elongate, flexible, hollow tube concentrically disposed around the first tube so as to define an infusion lumen between the first and second tubes, and having a distal end through which a portion of the first tube extends distally; and an expansible sleeve, coaxially connected between the distal end of the second tube and the distally extended portion of the first tube, in fluid communication with the infusion lumen, and located so as to concentrically surround the inflatable element, the sleeve comprising an expansible network of spacer elements defining a flow path from the infusion lumen around the exterior of the inflatable element.

Claim 21

A dilatation and infusion device, comprising: a first elongate, flexible, hollow tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having an inflation lumen; an inflatable element near the distal end of the first tube and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen so as to be inflatable from a deflated state to an inflated state by a pressurized inflation fluid received from the inflation lumen; a second, elongate, flexible, hollow tube concentrically disposed around the first tube so as to define an infusion lumen between the first and second tubes, and having a distal end through which a portion of the first tube extends distally; and an expansible sleeve, coaxially connected between the distal end of the second tube and the distally extended portion of the first tube, in fluid communication with the infusion lumen, and located so as to concentrically surround the inflatable element, the sleeve comprising an expansible network of spacer elements defining a flow path from the infusion lumen around the exterior of the inflatable element.

Claim 22

The device of claim 16, wherein the sleeve assumes a contracted position, having an outside diameter that is approximately equal to the outside diameter of the main tube portion of the second tube, when the inflatable element is in the deflated state, and an expanded position when the inflatable element is in the inflated state.

Claim 23

The device of claim 17, wherein the spacing between the spacer elements is at a minimum when the sleeve is in its contracted position, and at a maximum when the sleeve is in its expanded position, the minimum spacing being sufficient to permit the passage of a liquid therapeutic agent therethrough.

Claim 24

The device of claim 17, wherein the sleeve comprises a perforated tubular element defining a deformably expansible network of spacer elements, wherein the sleeve is permanently deformable to its expanded position.

Claim 25

The device of claim 19, wherein the sleeve is joined to the distal end of the second tube by an elastomeric proximal sealing element and to the distally extended portion of the first tube by an elastomeric distal sealing element, the proximal and distal sealing elements being displaceable radially outwardly when the sleeve is moved from its contracted position to its expanded position.

Claim 26

The device of claim 20, wherein the sleeve is detachably joined to the proximal and distal sealing elements.

Claim 29

The method of claim 22, wherein the spacing between the spacer elements is at a minimum when the infusion member is in its contracted position, and at a maximum when the infusion member is in its expanded position, the minimum spacing being sufficient to permit the passage of a liquid therapeutic agent therethrough.

Claim 30

The method of claim 22, wherein the step of infusing is performed at a pressure sufficient to allow the liquid agent to penetrate the surface of the tissue.

Claim 33

The method of claim 25, wherein the spacing between the spacer elements is at a minimum when the infusion member is in its contracted position, and at a maximum when the infusion member is in its expanded position, the minimum spacing being sufficient to permit the passage of a liquid therapeutic agent therethrough.

Claim 34

The method of claim 25, wherein the step of infusing is performed at a pressure sufficient to allow the liquid agent to penetrate the surface of the tissue.