Medical device for injecting a fluid into an organism

Abstract

Medical device (10), in particular for injecting a fluid into an organism (28), comprising: - a support (12) extending between a proximal end (12A) and a distal end (12B), - a nose (16) connected to the distal end of the support (12), - at least one tube (22) for injecting fluid into the organism, the tube (22) extending between a proximal end (22A) and a distal end (22B), the tube (22) having at least one opening (24) near its distal end (22B), and - a sheath (18) in which the support (12) and the tube (22) are housed, the sheath (18) sliding along the support (12) between a first position in which the sheath (18) covers the opening (24) and a second position in which the opening (24) is uncovered is, is movable, and wherein:- each tube (22) between a retracted configuration in which each tube (22) is able to,to be covered by the sheath (18), and is radially unfoldable in a radially projecting configuration, and the proximal end (22A) of each tube (22) is accessible outside the sheath (18) such that the unfolding of each tube (22) into its unfolded position can be controlled from its proximal end (22A), wherein the distal end (22B) of each tube is connected to the nose (16) or the support (12), characterized in that the nose is in the form of a piercing point and in that each tube (22) has cutting means (26) near its distal end (22B) which are capable of cutting a tumor (28) when this tube (22) unfolds radially into this tumor (28).

Description

The present invention relates to a medical device for injecting a fluid, in particular a medical substance, into an organism, and in particular into a tumor. In cancer treatment, malignant tumors present in the body are, in certain cases, surgically removed by making an incision in the patient. Alternatively, it is known to inject a fluid into the body near the tumor to reduce its size. A medical injection device is already known in the art, comprising a line that allows the injection of vapor or any other suitable medical substance near a tumor, in order to destroy the tumor in particular. Such a device is used especially for the treatment of liver cancer. The effectiveness of such a device is generally limited by the fact that it does not allow the medical substance to be injected into the tumor in a sufficiently wide area without difficulty. US 2007 / 0250035A1 discloses devices and methods for the intravascular administration of drugs. WO 2005 / 107621A1 discloses invasive medical devices for locating and deploying electrode elements to deliver radiofrequency energy to tissue areas in the body. The present invention has in particular the objective of remedying this disadvantage by providing an easy-to-use medical injection device whose effectiveness is improved in relation to a classical device. For this purpose, the invention relates to a medical device having the features of claim 1. If the device is installed percutaneously in a patient's body in such a way that the nose has pierced a tumor and the sheath has been shifted into its second position, the distal end of the tube is located in the tumor. By operating the tube at its proximal end, while the nose and sheath remain stationary, the tube can unfold radially within the tumor and thus expand within the tumor. When the medical substance is injected through the openings in the tube, it is injected into the tumor in a relatively broad distribution. It will be observed that the injection is even more widespread when the device comprises a multitude of tubes that then extend in different directions. Optionally, a medical device according to the invention has one or more of the following features, which may be used alone or in any technically possible combination: - the device has at least two tubes for injecting fluid, and means accessible at the proximal end of the tubes to move each tube together by sliding within the sheath, - the device has means for locking the sheath in its second position relative to the support, - the sheath is near the nose in its first position, preferably in contact with this nose, and the sheath is spaced away from this nose in its second position, - the cutting means have a blade, - at least one of the elements (support, tube, or sheath) is equipped with scales indicating the displacement of the tube or sheath relative to the support, - the nose is made of a radiopaque material, and - the device has means for injecting a fluid.which are designed to be connected to the proximal end of each pipe, including, for example, a steam generator connected to a pump or syringe. The invention also relates to a method for using a medical device, as defined above, comprising the following steps: - Inserting the medical device into the patient until the nose reaches a tumor to be treated, - Operating the nose in such a way that it penetrates the tumor and crosses it from one side to the other, - Moving the sheath into its second position, - Radially unfolding the tube in the tumor, - Injecting the fluid through the opening 24. It will be found that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but can have various variants without leaving the scope of the claims. The invention will be better understood by reading the following description, which is given only as an example and was written with reference to the accompanying figures, of which: - Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 schematically represent a medical device according to an embodiment of the invention during the three respective steps of the implementation of this device, - Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a tube of the medical device of Fig. 3 according to arrows IV-IV. Figures 1, 2 to 3 show a medical device 10, in particular for injecting a medical substance into a tumor. The medical substance contains, for example, vapor. The medical device 10 has a support 12 which extends between a proximal end 12A and a distal end 12B. This support 12 is connected at its proximal end 12A to an operating element 14 and at its distal end 12B to a nose 16 in the form of a piercing tip. Nose 16 is specifically designed to penetrate a tumor, as will be described later. Nose 16 is preferably made of a radiopaque material, so that its movement within a patient's body can be observed using X-rays. The medical device 10 also has a casing 18 in which the support 12 is housed. The casing 18 is displaceable by sliding along the support 12 between a first position, in which the casing 18 is close to the nose 16, for example in contact with the nose 16 (shown in Fig. 1), and a second position, in which the casing is spaced away from this nose 16 (shown in Figs. 2 and 3). The medical device 10 advantageously has blocking means 20 of the casing 18 in its second position relative to the support 12. The medical device 10 also comprises at least one tube 22, preferably a plurality of tubes 22, which extend partially within the sheath 18 between a proximal end 22A and a distal end 22B connected to the nose 16. Each tube 22 is advantageously more flexible than the sheath 18. Each tube 22 has at least one opening 24 near its distal end 22B, preferably a plurality of openings 24 spaced apart along the tube 22, through which the injection of the medical substance is provided. The proximal end 22A of each pipe 22 is accessible outside the casing 18, even when this casing 18 is in its second position. This makes it possible to operate the pipes 22 from their proximal end 22A. For this purpose, the medical device 10 has means for displacing each tube 22 by sliding it within the sheath 18, these means being accessible at the proximal end of the tubes 22. These displacing means are preferably connected to all tubes 22 to allow their simultaneous movement. Each tube 22 is radially expandable between a retracted configuration in which each tube 22 is able to be covered by the shell 18 and a configuration that is radially expanded in relation to the shell 18. Therefore, when the casing 18 is in its first position, the tubes 22 remain in their retracted configuration, and their openings 24 are covered by the casing 18. In contrast, the openings 24 are uncovered when the casing 18 is in its second position, and the tubes can assume their extended configuration. Likewise, each tube 22 advantageously has cutting means 26 near its distal end 22B, which, for example, have a blade, as shown in Fig. 4. These cutting means 26 are capable of cutting a tumor when these tubes 22 unfold radially within this tumor, as will be described later. It will be found that at least one of the elements support 12, tubes 22 or shell 18 is equipped with scales that indicate the displacement of the tube 22 or the shell 18 in relation to the support 12. Preferably, scales are provided on the support 12 to measure the displacement of the shell 18 in relation to this support 12, and scales are provided on the shell 18 to measure the movement of the tubes 22 in relation to this shell 18. Finally, the medical device includes 10 means for injecting a medicinal substance, which are designed to be connected to the proximal end 22A of each tube 22. These injection means include, for example, a steam generator connected to a pump or a syringe. When these injection means are activated, the medicinal substance is conveyed in the tubes 22 to their openings 24, from which this medicinal substance is injected into the tumor. The following describes the operation of medical device 10. First, the medical device 10 is inserted into the patient via a percutaneous access point until the nose 16 reaches a tumor 28 to be treated. The medical device 10 is operated using the control unit 14 and the support 12. The displacement of the radiopaque nose 16 is observed by X-rays to control the operation of the medical device 10. During this introduction, the shell 18 remains in its first position, as shown in Fig. 1. Once the tumor 28 is reached, the medical device 10 is maneuvered in such a way that the nose 16 penetrates this tumor and crosses it from one side to the other. The sheath 18 is then moved into its second position to expose the tubes 22, so that the penetrated tumor is held between the sheath 18 and the nose 16, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be found that the movement of the sheath 18 along the support can be checked using the scales on the support 12. Once the shell 18 is in its second position, the nose 16 is blocked in position via the support 12, and the shell 18 now assumes a rigid position relative to the support 12 via the blocking means 20. Subsequently, the tubes 22 are pushed towards their distal ends 22B by means of the means of movement of these tubes 22. Since the nose 16 and the sheath 18 are held in position, the movement of the tubes 22 causes them to unfold radially near their distal end 22B, as shown in Fig. 3. The cutting means 26 of the tubes 22 then cut the tumor 28 radially during their radial unfolding, which facilitates this unfolding. Once the tubes 22 are optimally unfolded within the tumor 28, each extending in a C-shape, the medicinal substance is injected into the tubes 22 using the injection medium. This medicinal substance is then injected into the tumor 28 through the openings 24, with the distribution of this substance being facilitated by the radial incisions in the tumor. This injection then causes the reduction or destruction of the tumor 28. It will be found that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but can have various variants without leaving the scope of the claims.

Claims

Medical device (10), in particular for injecting a fluid into an organism (28), comprising: - a support (12) extending between a proximal end (12A) and a distal end (12B), - a nose (16) connected to the distal end of the support (12), - at least one tube (22) for injecting fluid into the organism, the tube (22) extending between a proximal end (22A) and a distal end (22B), the tube (22) having at least one opening (24) near its distal end (22B), and - a sheath (18) in which the support (12) and the tube (22) are housed, the sheath (18) sliding along the support (12) between a first position in which the sheath (18) covers the opening (24) and a second position in which the opening (24) is uncovered is, is movable, and wherein:- each tube (22) between a retracted configuration in which each tube (22) is able to,to be covered by the sheath (18), and is radially unfoldable in a radially projecting configuration, and the proximal end (22A) of each tube (22) is accessible outside the sheath (18) such that the unfolding of each tube (22) into its unfolded position can be controlled from its proximal end (22A), wherein the distal end (22B) of each tube is connected to the nose (16) or the support (12), characterized in that the nose is in the form of a piercing point and in that each tube (22) has cutting means (26) near its distal end (22B) which are capable of cutting a tumor (28) when this tube (22) unfolds radially into this tumor (28). Medical device (10) according to claim 1, comprising at least two tubes (22) for injecting fluid, and means accessible at the proximal end (22A) of the tubes (22) to move each tube (22) together by sliding in the sheath (18). Medical device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising means (20) for blocking the sheath (18) in its second position relative to the support (12). Medical device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheath (18) is in its first position near the nose (16), preferably in contact with this nose (16), and the sheath (18) is spaced apart from this nose (16) in its second position. Medical device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cutting means (26) comprise a blade. Medical device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the element support (12), tube (22) or shell (18) is equipped with scales that indicate the displacement of the tube (22) or the shell (18) in relation to the support (12). Medical device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the nose (16) is made of a radiopaque material. Medical device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising means for injecting a fluid, which are intended to be connected to the proximal end (22A) of each tube (22), which, for example, include a steam generator connected to a pump or a syringe.

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