Methods and devices for local therapeutic agent delivery to heart valves

1. A method for diagnosing or treating a heart valve disease in a subject, comprising:

a) using a device comprising:

an elongate body having a distal end and a longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of delivery members coupled to the elongate body, where each member has a first end, a middle portion, and a second end, and the first and second ends of at least one of the delivery members are coupled to the elongate body at locations that are proximal to the distal end of the elongate body, wherein at least one of the delivery members has a lumen and one or more openings in communication with that lumen;

b) inserting the device into the subject's blood vessel;

c) positioning the device inside the subject's heart such that a delivery member contacts a heart valve; and

d) applying a therapeutic agent to the heart valve by flowing the therapeutic agent out from the one or more openings of the delivery member having the lumen.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the therapeutic agent is rapamycin, paclitaxel, sirolimus, a nitric oxide-enhancing agent, a statin, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, a PPAR agonist, an anti-inflammatory agent, an anti-stenotic agent, an antibiotic, atorvastatin, or quinapril.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each delivery member is 1-20 cm in length.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the distal end of the catheter and the distal-most coupling location of each of the delivery members to the elongate body is 1-15 cm.

5. The method of claim 1 , where at least one delivery member is at least partially coated with the therapeutic agent.

6. The method of claim 5 , where the therapeutic agent is rapamycin, paclitaxel, sirolimus, a nitric oxide-enhancing agent, a statin, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, a PPAR agonist, an anti-inflammatory agent, an anti-stenotic agent, an antibiotic, atorvastatin, or quinapril.