| 摘要 |
The invention features a catheter (1) and methods for delivering drug to tissue at a desired location of the wall of a body lumen (2). The catheter (1) is constructed for insertion in a body lumen (2) and has a catheter shaft (3) and an expandable portion (4) mounted on the catheter shaft (3). The expandable portion (4) is expandable to a controlled pressure to fill the cross-section of the body lumen (2) and press against the wall (9) of the body lumen (2). In one embodiment, at least a portion of the exterior sur- face of the expandable portion (4) is defined by a coating (6) of a tenaciously adhered swellable hydrogel polymer. Incorporated in the hydrogel polymer is an aqueous solution of a preselected drug (8) to be delivered to the tissue or plaque. The hydrogel po- lymer and drug (8) are selected to allow rapid release of a desired dosage o f the drug (8) from the hydrogel polymer coating dur- ing compression of the hydrogel polymer coating against the wall (9) of the lumen (2) when the expandable portion (4) is ex- panded. In other embodiments the polymer is released from the expandable portion (4) in response to pressure, to coat the wall (9) of the body lumen (2). |
