Biological material deployment

摘要

The invention involves a system for the deployment of biologically/pharmacologically active materials in a bodily passage, particularly in vascular wall tissue, in the form of a multi-lumen catheter having several serially situated zones. One embodiment has a dispersion zone adapted to address a vascular segment and having a dispersion chamber with a pattern of openings for deploying biologically active materials supplied through an externally connected lumen. An expandable array of conductor elements is provided in the dispersion zone to apply a controlled electrical field to the biologically active material at the surface of deployment. Spaced inflatable balloons define proximal and distal occlusion zones for temporarily occluding normal vascular blood flow in conjunction with a flow bypass lumen that connects proximal and distal infusion port zones flanking the occlusion zones and maintaining blood flow about and beyond the vascular segment. A control system is provided for controlling operation of the deployment system including flexure of the conductor elements and the electrical input capable of the time-variable modulation of the charge applied by the electrode means.