US5925012A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laser assisted drug delivery
Assignee: Eclipse Surgical Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1996-12-27
•
Granted: 1999-07-20
•
Expires: 2016-12-27
Abstract
Abstract A drug delivery apparatus for dispensing predetermined volumes of drug, drug solution or other substances into an opening, such as a TMR channel in the human heart, or other laser treated area within the human body, the apparatus consisting of a bifurcated needle with a laser inlet for guiding a laser delivery means, such as an optical fiber or fiber bundle, to adjacent a surface of the human heart or other body structure for creating an opening, such as a TMR channel, or other laser treated area thereon. A drug inlet is for receiving the drug and transmitting the drug to the TMR channel or other laser treated area. Optionally, a piercing tip and/or suction device assists in positioning the apparatus adjacent the tissue to be treated. Drug is dispensed by manually or automatically actuating a piston or syringe element. A method of use is also disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas Murphy-Chutorian
- 👤 Richard L. Mueller
- 👤 Stuart D. Harman
- 👤 Steve A. Daniel
- 👤 Larry Witham
- 👤 Robert Lincoln Lathrop, III
- 👤 Bruce Richardson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 08:12
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B17/00; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00247; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A laser energy and drug delivery apparatus for laser treatment and for dispensing one or more drugs to one or more target areas within the human body, the apparatus comprising: at least one drug inlet for receiving and transmitting the one or more drugs; at least one laser inlet for receiving and guiding a laser delivery device; and a common tube, the at least one drug inlet and the at least one laser inlet in operative, communication with the common tube such that a distal end of a laser delivery device is extendable through the at least one laser inlet and the common tube to the one or more target areas for treatment thereof and the one or more drugs is one or more liquid, semi-solid or solid formations dispensed into the drug inlet and through the common tube.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A laser energy and drug delivery apparatus for laser treatment and for dispensing one or more drugs to one or more target areas within the human body, the apparatus comprising: at least one drug inlet for receiving and transmitting the one or more drugs; at least one laser inlet for receiving and guiding a laser delivery device; and a common tube, the at least one drug inlet and the at least one laser inlet in operative, communication with the common tube such that a distal end of a laser delivery device is extendable through the at least one laser inlet and the common tube to the one or more target areas for treatment thereof and the one or more drugs is one or more liquid, semi-solid or solid formations dispensed into the drug inlet and through the common tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a piercing device for piercing a surface adjacent the one or more target areas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 2 in which the piercing device comprises a hollow needle and the common tube is within the hollow needle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the piercing device is one or more angled fiber optics at the distal end of the laser delivery means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: one or more reservoirs for containing the one or more drugs to be dispensed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising at least one dispenser for dispensing the one or more drugs from the one or more reservoirs into the drug inlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a fluid seal within the laser inlet.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a control mechanism for selecting and dispensing controlled volumes of the one or more drugs from the one or more reservoirs.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a suction device for coupling the apparatus to the one or more target areas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: at least one housing surrounding the common tube, the drug and laser inlets extending from the at least one housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one of the one or more reservoirs are mounted within the at least one housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least one of the one or more reservoirs are exterior to the at least one housing, the exterior reservoir having a conduit for conveying drug to the at least one drug inlet at the at least one housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an advance mechanism for controllably advancing a distal end of the laser delivery device through the laser inlet and through the common tube.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6 in which the dispenser is a plunger mechanism for dispensing solid drug units and further comprising a control mechanism for advancing only a single solid drug unit into the common tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 in which the common tube comprises a tube with more than one lumen.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the one or more drugs is VEGF.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control mechanism is activated by a power source and the dispenser is a piston.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the control mechanism for advancing only a single solid drug unit is a detent mechanism.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of dispensing one or more drugs to one or more target areas within the human body, the method using a drug delivery apparatus having at least one drug inlet, at least one laser inlet, and a common tube, the at least one drug inlet and the at least one laser inlet in operative communication with the common tube, the method including the following steps: positioning the common tube adjacent one of the one or more target areas; extending the distal end of a laser delivery device through the laser inlet and positioning the distal end adjacent the one of the one or more target areas; transmitting laser energy through the laser delivery device and out of the distal end to one of the one or more target areas; and dispensing the one or more drugs in one or more solid, semi-solid or liquid formation into the drug inlet and through the common tube for delivery to one of the one or more laser treated target areas.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
168 words
A method of dispensing one or more drugs to one or more target areas within the human body, the method using a drug delivery apparatus having at least one drug inlet, at least one laser inlet, and a common tube, the at least one drug inlet and the at least one laser inlet in operative communication with the common tube, the method including the following steps: positioning the common tube adjacent one of the one or more target areas; extending the distal end of a laser delivery device through the laser inlet and positioning the distal end adjacent the one of the one or more target areas; transmitting laser energy through the laser delivery device and out of the distal end to one of the one or more target areas; and dispensing the one or more drugs in one or more solid, semi-solid or liquid formation into the drug inlet and through the common tube for delivery to one of the one or more laser treated target areas.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 19 in which the drug delivery apparatus is adapted for dispensing solid drug units and in which the step of dispensing the one or more drugs includes actuating the dispenser to dispense, one or more solid drug units to the one or more target areas.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 19 in which the step of dispensing the one or more drugs occurs at least substantially simultaneously with the step of transmitting laser energy.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 19 further comprising the following step: mechanically piercing a surface adjacent the one or more target areas prior to the step of transmitting laser energy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 19 in which the drug delivery apparatus further comprises an electric motor and motor activator, at least one reservoir containing drug, and at least one dispenser for dispensing drugs from the at least one reservoir into and through the at least one drug inlet and common tube for delivery to one or more laser treated target areas, the method in which the step of dispensing the drugs includes the following step: activating the motor to dispense the drugs from the at least one reservoir.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 23 in which the dispenser is manually activated.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 23 in which the dispenser is automatically activated.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of transmitting laser energy comprises creating a plurality of TMR channels in myocardium, at least one channel blind, and the step of dispensing drugs includes placing drugs in the at least one blind TMR channel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of advancing the laser delivery device into the common tube to push a dispensed solid drug unit to the one or more target areas.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 3 where the common tube is a lumen of the hollow needle.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the laser delivery device.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the laser delivery device is an optical fiber.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the laser delivery device is a fiber optic bundle.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the common tube defines at least two arms, a first arm communicating with the at least one drug inlet and a second arm communicating with the at least one laser inlet.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the step of transmitting includes delivering the laser energy at an angle to a surface of the one or more target areas.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
162 words
A laser energy and drug delivery apparatus for laser treatment and for dispensing one or more drugs to one or more target areas within the human body, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a fiber optic delivery device having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end adapted for attachment to a source of laser energy, the distal end advanceable through the housing; at least one drug reservoir removably mounted within the housing; a common tube mounted within and extending from the housing, the common tube having a distal tip for contacting the one or more target areas, the at least one drug reservoir and the distal end of the fiber optic delivery device in operative, communication with the common tube such that the distal end is extendable through the common tube to the one or more target areas for treatment thereof and the one or more drugs is one or more liquid, semi-solid or solid formation dispensed into and through the common tube.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
162 words
A laser energy and drug delivery apparatus for laser treatment and for dispensing one or more drugs to one or more target areas within the human body, the apparatus comprising: a housing; a fiber optic delivery device having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end adapted for attachment to a source of laser energy, the distal end advanceable through the housing; at least one drug reservoir removably mounted within the housing; a common tube mounted within and extending from the housing, the common tube having a distal tip for contacting the one or more target areas, the at least one drug reservoir and the distal end of the fiber optic delivery device in operative, communication with the common tube such that the distal end is extendable through the common tube to the one or more target areas for treatment thereof and the one or more drugs is one or more liquid, semi-solid or solid formation dispensed into and through the common tube.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the common tube defines at least two arms extending therefrom, a first arm having a lumen for the fiber optic delivery device, a second arm having a lumen communicating with the at least one drug reservoir.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-07-19 | 2003-01-18 | 2003-07-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-07-19 | 2007-01-18 | 2007-07-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-07-19 | 2011-01-18 | 2011-07-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |