Method and apparatus for delivering an agent to a kidney
Devices for delivering drugs or other treatment agents locally to the vasculature of a mammal are disclosed. These devices have several related structures and are designed to deliver the drugs to facilitate rapid mixing with the blood flowing past the devices.
1. A device comprising a catheter including:
a main body having a diffusion member delivery lumen through which a self-expandable diffusion member dimensioned for insertion within a blood vessel is advanced, the self-expandable diffusion member comprising a body, wherein the body comprises at least one fluid passage dimensioned to allow a blood flow within the vessel to flow through the body and create a region of turbulent blood flow within the blood vessel, and
a drug delivery lumen positioned upstream to the self-expandable diffusion member, and wherein the drug delivery lumen is positioned around the diffusion member delivery lumen and configured such that a drug delivered through the drug delivery lumen flows through the at least one fluid passage of the self-expandable diffusion member and mixes with the blood in the region of turbulent blood flow.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the self-expandable diffusion member comprising a body comprises a pre-formed shape memory material.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein the pre-formed shape memory material comprises nitinol.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein the self-expandable diffusion member comprising a body comprises a net-like, braided structure.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the net-like, braided structure comprises one, two, or more wires or filaments.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the self-expandable diffusion member comprising a body comprises a donut structure.
7. The device of claim 6 wherein the donut structure comprises a substantially cylindrical body with a length, a largest diameter, and wherein the passage is coaxial to the cylindrical axis.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the length ranges from one to ten times the largest diameter of the body.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein the body has a diameter of 50-105% of the vessel.
10. The device of claim 9 wherein the passage has a diameter that ranges from 15-80% of the largest diameter of the cylinder.
11. The device of claim 10 further comprising a connecting member that joins the main body to the expandable diffusion member comprising a body.
12. The device of claim 7 further comprising a connecting member that joins the main body to the expandable diffusion member comprising a body.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the length ranges from one to ten times the largest diameter of the body.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein the body has a diameter of 50-105% of the vessel.
15. The device of claim 7 wherein the body has a diameter of 50-105% of the vessel.
16. The device of claim 7 wherein the passage has a diameter that ranges from 15-80% of the largest diameter of the cylinder.
17. The device of claim 1 wherein the self-expandable diffusion member has a body with a length wherein the length ranges from one to ten times the largest diameter of the body.
18. The device of claim 1 wherein the self-expandable diffusion member comprising a body further comprises a ball of wire or filament.
19. The device of claim 18 wherein the ball of wire or filament comprises a set of coplanar serpentine curves.
20. The device of claim 1 wherein the self-expandable diffusion member comprising a body further comprises an occlusion balloon.