CATHETER FOR INTRODUCTION OF MEDICATIONS TO THE TISSUES OF A HEART OR OTHER ORGAN

摘要

A positionable, direct-injection catheter that can access a specific region of the heart or other organ. The catheter is provided with one or two needle shafts, which may be located within respective sheaths that extend axially along the interior of the lumen of a main catheter shaft. Each needle shaft carries, at a distal end thereof a penetrable element that is normally retracted, but is subsequently deployed by a trigger. Each extended needle is curved to enter the organ wall in a flattened trajectory that both reduces the chance of puncture through the wall and anchors the needles into the wall during injection. A plurality of apertures which provide for more complete agent delivery rapidly, while maintaining a low delivery velocity to avoid the problems caused by high velocity delivery. The needles are typically arranged to exit the tip at contralateral orientations relative to each other.

主权项

1. A direct injection catheter comprising:
a hollow catheter shaft having a proximal end and a shaft distal end, the shaft distal end having a shaft tip, the shaft defining a main lumen and the shaft being constructed and arranged to bend so as to be steerable; a retractable and extendable first hollow shaft and respective distal first injection needle extending through the main lumen; a retractable and extendable second hollow shaft and respective distal second injection needle extending through the main lumen, wherein each of the main lumen, first hollow shaft and the second hollow shaft are constructed and arranged to each carry from a respective proximal end a separate agent to a respective distal end for delivery to organ tissue.