Claims
- 1. A biological agent delivery device comprising:a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; and a flexible circumferential pouch system formed in the sheath wall and encircling the sheath including at least one annular pouch, the pouch system having a closed position and a open position, the closed position for containing a biological agent in a circular manner about the sheath and the open position for displacing the biological agent outwardly in a circular manner.
- 2. The delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a displacement member disposed within the sheath for causing displacement of the pouch system radially with respect to the sheath to deliver the biological agent.
- 3. The delivery device of claim 2 in which the displacement member comprises a spring member for elongating the sheath.
- 4. The delivery device of claim 1 in which the displacement member comprises a volume of fluid.
- 5. The delivery device of claim 4 in which the fluid is a liquid.
- 6. The delivery device of claim 5 in which the fluid is a gas.
- 7. The delivery device of claim 4 further comprising a light source for directing light within the sheath, the fluid capable of transmitting the light to the tip.
- 8. The delivery device of claim 7 in which the tip is formed to produce a desired pattern of light.
- 9. The delivery device of claim 1 further comprising:a light source for directing light within the sheath; and a fiber optic disposed within the sheath for transmitting the light to the tip.
- 10. The delivery device of claim 1 further comprising a balloon extending from the sheath for controlling fluid flow within body cavities.
- 11. The delivery device of claim 1 in which the pouch system is preformed.
- 12. The delivery device of claim 11 in which the sheath is flexible and the pouch system is preformed in the sheath wall.
- 13. The delivery device of claim 12 further comprising a guide wire extending within the sheath for guiding the delivery device.
- 14. A biological agent delivery catheter comprising:a flexible sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; a radially facing flexible circumferential pouch system formed in the sheath wall and encircling the sheath including at least one annular pouch, the pouch system having a closed position and a open position, the closed position for containing a biological agent in a circular manner about the sheath and the open position for displacing the biological agent outwardly in a circular manner; a guide wire extending within the sheath for guiding the catheter; and a displacement member disposed within the sheath for causing the pouch to be displaced to the open position to deliver the biological agent outwardly in a circular manner.
- 15. A method of forming a biological agent delivery device comprising the steps of:providing a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; providing the sheath with a flexible circumferential pouch system including at least one annular pouch for containing a biological agent formed in the sheath wall in a circular manner capable of being displaced radially outwardly circumferentially for radially displacing the biological agent.
- 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of disposing a displacement member within the sheath for displacing the pouch system radially with respect to the sheath to deliver the biological agent.
- 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of forming the displacement member from a spring member.
- 18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of forming the displacement member from a volume of fluid.
- 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the steps of providing a light source for directing light within the sheath, the fluid capable of transmitting the light to the tip with the fluid.
- 20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of forming the tip to produce a desired pattern of light.
- 21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:providing a light source for directing light within the sheath; and disposing a fiber optic within the sheath for transmitting the light to the tip.
- 22. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of providing a balloon capable of extending from the sheath for controlling fluid flow within body cavities.
- 23. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of preforming the pouch system.
- 24. The method of claim 23 further comprising the steps of:forming the sheath from flexible material; and preforming the pouch system in the sheath wall.
- 25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of extending a guide wire within the sheath for guiding the delivery device.
- 26. A method of delivering a biological agent to a tissue site comprising the steps of:providing a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; containing a biological agent within a flexible circumferential pouch system formed in the sheath wall encircling the sheath including at least one annular pouch, the pouch system having a closed position and a open position, the closed position for containing a biological agent in a circular manner about the sheath and the open position for displacing the biological agent outwardly in a circular manner; inserting the sheath into the tissue site; and radially displacing the pouch outwardly to the open position with a displacement member disposed within the sheath to deliver the biological agent outwardly in a circular manner to the tissue site.
- 27. A biological agent delivery device comprising:a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; a flexible pouch formed in the sheath wall for containing a biological agent capable of being displaced radially outwardly for radially displacing the biological agent; and a displacement member comprising a spring member disposed within the sheath for elongating the sheath and causing displacement of the pouch radially with respect to the sheath to deliver the biological agent.
- 28. A method of forming a biological agent delivery device comprising the steps of:providing a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; providing the sheath with a flexible pouch for containing a biological agent formed in the sheath wall capable of being displaced radially outwardly for radially displacing the biological agent; and disposing a displacement member formed from a spring member within the sheath for displacing the pouch radially with respect to the sheath to deliver the biological agent.
- 29. A biological agent delivery device comprising:a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; and flexible annular pouch formed in the sheath wall and encircling the sheath for containing a biological agent and capable of being displaced radially outwardly for radially displacing the biological agent.
- 30. A method of delivering a biological agent to a tissue site comprising the steps of:providing a sheath having a longitudinally extending wall surrounding an interior region, and a closed tip at a distal end; containing a biological agent within a flexible annular pouch formed in the sheath wall and encircling the sheath; inserting the sheath into the tissue site; and radially displacing the pouch outwardly with a displacement member disposed within the sheath to deliver the biological agent to the tissue site.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/266,380, filed Mar. 11, 1999, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/552,467, filed Nov. 9, 1995 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,599, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (50)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0207726 |
Jul 1987 |
EP |
8910091 |
Nov 1989 |
WO |
9110399 |
Jul 1991 |
WO |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/266380 |
Mar 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/405933 |
|
US |
Parent |
08/552467 |
Nov 1995 |
US |
Child |
09/266380 |
|
US |