Delivery and extraction devices

摘要

This invention provides a device for delivering substances such as medical implants and tissues. The device comprises a mandrel and a mandrel guide whereby substances are delivered by retracting the mandrel guide relative to the mandrel. Included among the various embodiments are devices specialized for delivering retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells or nanoplates containing RPE cells to the retina, devices with precise control of delivery, devices with specialized mandrels and/or nozzles, and multifunctional devices adapted to provide additional functions such as infusion and/or suction, illumination, and diathermy.

主权项

1. A device for implanting a substance comprising:
(a) a delivery unit comprising:
(i) a mandrel guide, wherein the mandrel guide has an open distal end suitable for discharging a substance when loaded therein; and(ii) a longitudinally elongated mandrel disposed internally to the mandrel guide, whereby relative longitudinal movement of the mandrel through the mandrel guide towards the open distal end biases the loaded substance to move longitudinally towards the open end; (b) a delivery unit support providing support to the delivery unit, wherein at least one of the mandrel and the mandrel guide is not fixed to the delivery unit support to allow longitudinal movement there about; (c) a delivery unit biasing member imparting a force on the delivery unit to bias the delivery unit for the relative longitudinal movement; (d) a delivery unit engagement means for opposing said force on the delivery unit, wherein
(i) when the delivery unit engagement means can be engaged and disengaged with the delivery unit;(ii) when the delivery unit engagement means is engaged with the delivery unit, the delivery unit engagement means opposes said force on the delivery unit, thereby preventing the relative longitudinal movement of the delivery unit; and(iii) when the delivery unit engagement means is disengaged with the delivery unit, the delivery unit engagement means does not prevent the relative longitudinal movement of the delivery unit; and (e) a delivery controller configured to engage and disengage the delivery unit engagement means from the delivery unit,
wherein: the mandrel can move longitudinally relative to the mandrel guide from a first longitudinal position to a second longitudinal position and to plurality of longitudinal positions intermediate of the first longitudinal position and the second longitudinal position; the delivery controller is configured for operation by a user's operating member such that:
engagement of the user's operating member with the delivery controller disengages the delivery unit engagement means from the delivery unit; anddisengagement of the user's operating member from the delivery controller engages the delivery unit engagement means with the delivery unit, thereby stopping the relative longitudinal movement; and the delivery unit engagement means is configured to engage and disengage the delivery unit when the mandrel is at each of the plurality of longitudinal positions relative to the mandrel guide, whereby the delivery unit engagement means can be controlled by the delivery controller to start and stop the relative longitudinal movement when the mandrel is at each of the plurality of longitudinal positions relative to the mandrel guide.