Material Delivery System

Abstract

A balloon for injecting material into a wall of a hollow organ of a human, comprising: an expandable balloon body having a surface and having an axis; at least one predefined ejection port on said body adapted for ejection of fluid therefrom, in a transaxial direction; and an impulse source configured for and adapted to eject material out of said point at a velocity and shape suitable for mechanically penetrating tissue adjacent said port.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims the benefit under 119(e) of 60 / 587,335 filed Jul. 14, 2004, 60 / 599,884 filed Aug. 10, 2004, 60 / 603,262 filed Aug. 23, 2004 and 60 / 675,477 filed Apr. 28, 2004, an inventor common to all of these applications is Mordechay Beyar, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to the delivery of materials, for example, high speed intrabody needle-less injection. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] A common treatment for a blocked artery, especially a coronary artery, is PTCA, in which a balloon is inflated inside the lumen of the artery, causing the lumen to increase, while compressing the blockage and / or forcefully expanding the artery. One problem with this method is restenosis, in which the artery responds to the PTCA procedure by inflammation and inward growth. Another problem is collapse of the wall of the artery back into its lumen. [0004] The use of...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the walls in the balloon comprise pressure sensitive holes which open only at a threshold internal pressure level, for example, a level above regular (e.g., PTCA) balloon inflation pressures. Optionally, the spatial density and / or diameter of the holes varies along the length of the balloon, for example, to enhance uniformity of material provision and / or for other reasons, such as spatially-non-uniform treatment. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the drop of pressure caused by the opening of the holes is not sufficient to deflate the balloon in a period of less than, for example, 1 minute, 10 seconds, 5 seconds, 1 second, 0.5 seconds or intermediate or lesser values. In some designs in accordance with the invention, the holes are too small to pass enough material under the applied pressure to significantly deflate and / or depressurize the balloon. In some designs, additional incoming pressure is applied to the balloon which can more than compensate for pressure loss through the holes. In some designs, pressure is released through the main lumen of the balloon, in addition to or instead of the holes. Optionally, an ongoing pressure and the shape of the holes are selected to achieve a desired material injection velocity envelope shape. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the hole sizes are selected so that leakage at one hole will not significantly affect the pressure at other holes, at least not within a short time period, such as 10 ms, 30 ms, 50 ms or intermediate or greater times. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pressure loss within such time frames is less than 30%, 20% 10% or less of the balloon base (without the impulse) pressure.

[0024] Optionally, the balloon is strengthened surrounding the holes and / or at other locations thereon, to prevent tearing. Optionally, the strengthening is by providing a braid of material surrounding the aperture.

[0025] An aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to a strengthened apertured balloon, which includes a plurality of holes therein and which is strengthened near the holes, to prevent tearing of the balloon at the holes. Optionally, the strengthening is by elongate elements, such as fibers, having a length comparable or greater than the balloon diameter and optionally disposed axially, radially and / or otherwise along the balloon surface.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the structural material is sufficient to enhance the structure of the wall and prevent collapse thereof.

Problems solved by technology

One problem with this method is restenosis, in which the artery responds to the PTCA procedure by inflammation and inward growth.

Another problem is collapse of the wall of the artery back into its lumen.

Some problems have been reported with these methods, for example, thrombosis formation.

Images