Methods, medical devices and kits for modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel
Methods of modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel are described. An example method comprises advancing a cannula out of the distal end of a catheter disposed within the lumen of a body vessel of an animal and toward a target site on the wall of the body vessel; passing contrast dye through the cannula toward the target site; simultaneously continuing the advancing and passing until the distal end of the cannula punctures the inner layer of the wall of the body vessel at the target site; and passing a bulking agent through the cannula and into a space between connective tissue layers surrounding the vessel wall at the target site. Medical devices, medical device assemblies, and kits are also described.
1. A method of modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel at a target site, comprising:
passing a bulking agent through a cannula and into a space between connective tissue layers surrounding a wall of said body vessel at said target site; and
passing a cross-linking agent through a cannula and into the space between connective tissue layers surrounding the wall of said body vessel at said target site.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bulking agent comprising a hydrogel.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the hydrogel contains alginate.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the hydrogel comprises between about 4% and about 30% alginate.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the hydrogel comprises about 17.5% alginate.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bulking agent comprises about 17.5% alginate.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises a salt.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the crosslinking agent is selected from the group consisting of MgCl2, CaCl2, SrCl2, BaCl2, Al3SO4, BaSO4, CaCO3, ferric chloride, and ferrous chloride.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the crosslinking agent comprises SrCl2.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the crosslinking agent has a concentration of between about 0.05 Molar and about 4.00 Molar.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the crosslinking agent has a concentration of about 0.33 Molar.
12. A method of modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel at a target site, comprising:
passing a bulking agent through a cannula and into a space between connective tissue layers surrounding a wall of said body vessel at said target site; and
passing a cross-linking agent through a cannula and into the space between connective tissue layers surrounding the wall of said body vessel at said target site;
wherein the bulking agent and the cross-linking agent are sequentially passed through the same cannula.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising passing a buffer through the cannula between passing the bulking agent through the cannula and passing the cross-linking agent through the cannula.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the buffer is selected from the group consisting of a gel that does not interact with the cross-linking agent, saline, phosphate saline buffer, and water.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said body vessel comprises a vein.
16. A method of modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel at a target site, comprising:
passing a bulking agent through a cannula and into a space between connective tissue layers surrounding a wall of said body vessel at said target site, the bulking agent comprising a hydrogel containing alginate; and
passing a cross-linking agent through a cannula and into the space between connective tissue layers surrounding the wall of said body vessel at said target site, the cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of MgCl2, CaCl2, SrCl2, BaCl2, Al3SO4, BaSO4, CaCO3, ferric chloride, and ferrous chloride.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the hydrogel comprises between about 4% and about 30% alginate.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the hydrogel comprises about 10% alginate.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein said body vessel comprises a vein.
20. A method of modifying the luminal profile of a body vessel at a target site, comprising:
sequentially passing a bulking agent and a cross-linking agent through a cannula and into a space between connective tissue layers surrounding a wall of said body vessel at said target site;
wherein the bulking agent comprises a hydrogel containing between about 4% and about 30% alginate; and
wherein the cross-linking agent comprises SrCl2 and having a concentration of between about 0.05 Molar and about 4.00 Molar.