Thoracic Duct Isolation Catheter for Targeted Lymphatic Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cancer treatments face challenges in delivering high doses of therapeutic agents specifically to tumor cells while minimizing systemic side effects, particularly due to the difficulty in accessing and targeting the lymphatic system, which is crucial for metastasis and drug distribution.
Innovation Solution
A catheter system with a distal portion and expandable balloon is designed to access and isolate the thoracic duct, allowing for the localized delivery and removal of compounds, thereby facilitating high drug concentrations around tumors while preventing systemic exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If systemic chemotherapy is used to deliver high doses of therapeutic agents, then tumor cells can be targeted, but surrounding tissue is affected and severe systemic side effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the delivery system into two distinct catheters: one for administering the therapeutic agent and another for removing it from the lymphatic system. This segmentation allows localized delivery to the tumor while preventing systemic circulation of high doses, thereby reducing systemic side effects while maintaining high local drug concentrations.
2Quantity of substance
If the thoracic duct is directly accessed to deliver drugs to the lymphatic system, then localized drug concentration is achieved, but the defect does not readily close leading to morbid conditions such as chylothorax
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a catheter with a balloon as an intermediary device to access the thoracic duct. The balloon can be inflated to seal the access site after drug delivery, providing a reliable closure mechanism that prevents lymphatic fluid leakage and chylothorax, while still allowing effective drug delivery to the lymphatic system during the procedure.
3Quantity of substance
If the thoracic duct is accessed to raise drug levels in the lymphatic system, then metastasis treatment is improved, but disruption of valves may have negative consequences
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a flexible balloon that can be inflated and deflated to access and seal the thoracic duct. This flexible structure allows controlled access to the lymphatic system for drug delivery while minimizing damage to surrounding structures and valves. The balloon can be carefully positioned and inflated to deliver drugs without disrupting valve function, and then deflated and removed without causing valve disruption.
Data Source
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AI summary
System and methods are provided for treating a patient that include a delivery device sized for introduction into a target site within a patient's body, a source of one or more therapeutic and/or diagnostic agents coupled to the delivery device, and a tubular member sized for introduction into the patient's vasculature to isolate the thoracic duct. Once the thoracic duct is isolated, fluid may be removed from the thoracic duct, e.g., to prevent the agents that transit from the target site into the thoracic duct from entering the patient's vasculature, and/or to modulate flow through the thoracic duct to modulate concentration and/or resident time of the agents at the target site. The one or more agents may include particles sized for preferential transit into the lymphatic system.