ASSEMBLIES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR INFUSING THERAPEUTIC AGENTS INTO THE BODY

摘要

An infusion catheter assembly has the ability to infinitely titrate the length of a porous fluid distribution section in situ. The infusion catheter assembly thereby provides a length of infusion that can be infinitely varied over a prescribed range, to control the effective infusion length and the rate of infusion. Using the infusion catheter assembly, a physician has the capability to treat only the length of the vessel desired, thereby preventing excessive drug/patient exposures. The porous fluid distribution section can include an array of spaced apart apertures that vary in size and/or density along the length of the porous fluid distribution section, such that the flow rate remains essentially constant for a given inlet pressure independent of the effective infusion length.

主权项

1. An infusion method comprising:
(i) providing an infusion catheter assembly comprising a catheter body having an interior lumen and including a porous fluid distribution section having a predefined maximum length communicating with the interior lumen, the porous discharge section comprising an array of spaced apart apertures that vary in size and/or density along the length of the porous fluid distribution section, the infusion catheter assembly further comprising at least one fluid delivery port for dispensing a fluid from an external source at an inlet pressure into communication with the porous fluid distribution section for infusion through the porous fluid distribution section at an infusion flow rate, and a barrier mechanism movable within the catheter body to establish for the infusion catheter assembly an infinitely variable range of effective infusion lengths between the maximum length and any smaller length along the porous fluid distribution section, wherein the spaced apart apertures vary in size and/or density in a predetermined fashion along the maximum length such that the flow rate remains essentially constant for a given inlet pressure independent of the effective infusion length, (ii) moving the barrier mechanism within the catheter body to establish a desired effective infusion length, and (iii) infusing a fluid through the desired effective infusion length of the porous fluid distribution section.