Claims
- 1. A catheter comprising:
a catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter body defining an exterior and an interior of the catheter; and a compressive, ferromagnetic material mounted on the distal end of the catheter body to form a catheter tip.
- 2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the compressive, ferromagnetic material is a sponge material.
- 3. The catheter of claim 2, wherein the catheter tip is magnetically polarized in response to an external magnetic field.
- 4. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising:
an electrical conductor, wherein the compressive, ferromagnetic material is electrically conductive, wherein the compressive, ferromagnetic, and electrically conductive material projects from the interior to the exterior of the catheter at the distal end of the catheter body to form the catheter tip, wherein the conductor is electrically coupled to a portion of the compressive, ferromagnetic, and electrically conductive material, and wherein the conductor extends into the interior of the catheter body.
- 5. The catheter of claim 4, wherein the electrical conductor includes a platinum disk electrically coupled to the portion of the compressive, ferromagnetic, and electrically conductive material, wherein the platinum disk is in the interior of the catheter, and wherein the electrical conductor includes a wire which extends proximally from the platinum disk to the proximal end of the catheter.
- 6. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the platinum disk is magnetically polarized in response to an external magnetic field.
- 7. The catheter of claim 5, wherein the wire is paramagnetic or diamagnetic, and wherein the wire is electrically conductive.
- 8. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the compressive, ferromagnetic material includes a plurality of slits formed therein such that the catheter tip is splayed open when compressed.
- 9. The catheter of claim 8, further comprising:
an electrode mounted on a distal end of the compressive, ferromagnetic material, wherein the electrode has a proximal side formed as a wedge, and wherein the electrode splays open the compressive, ferromagnetic material when the electrode is compressed against the compressive, ferromagnetic material.
- 10. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising:
an inflatable balloon mounted on the catheter body proximal to the catheter tip.
- 11. The catheter of claim 10, wherein the inflatable balloon is mounted proximally adjacent to the catheter tip.
- 12. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising:
at least one exit port formed in the catheter body proximal to the catheter tip; and at least one needle moveably mounted in the catheter body and extendable from the at least one exit port such that the distal end of the at least one needle is adapted to move from a position in the interior of the catheter to a position distally forward of the distal end of the catheter body.
- 13. The catheter of claim 12, wherein the catheter tip is penetrable by the at least one needle, and wherein the at least one needle is extendable from the at least one exit port such that the distal end of the at least one needle extends distally forward of the catheter tip and projects through the catheter tip.
- 14. The catheter of claim 12, wherein the at least one exit port is a plurality of exit ports formed in the catheter body proximal to the catheter tip, and wherein the at least one needle is a plurality of needles corresponding to each of the exit ports.
- 15. A catheter comprising:
a catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter body defining an interior and an exterior of the catheter; a fixation structure positioned at or near the distal end of the catheter; at least one exit port formed in the catheter body at or near the distal end thereof; and at least one needle moveably mounted in the catheter body and extendable from the at least one exit port such that the distal end of the at least one needle is adapted to move from a position in the interior of the catheter to a position distally forward of the distal end of the catheter body.
- 16. The catheter of claim 15, wherein the fixation structure includes a ferromagnetic material mounted on the distal end of the catheter body to form a catheter tip.
- 17. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the ferromagnetic material is compressive.
- 18. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the compressive, ferromagnetic material is an iron sponge material.
- 19. The catheter of claim 17, wherein the catheter tip is penetrable by the at least one needle, and wherein when the at least one needle is extended from the at least one exit port distally forward of the catheter tip, the at least one needle projects through the catheter tip.
- 20. The catheter of claim 16, further comprising:
an electrical conductor, wherein the ferromagnetic material is electrically conductive, wherein the ferromagnetic and electrically conductive material projects from the interior to the exterior of the catheter at the distal end of the catheter body to form the catheter tip, wherein the conductor is electrically coupled to a portion of the ferromagnetic and electrically conductive material, and wherein the conductor extends into the interior of the catheter body.
- 21. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the ferromagnetic material includes a plurality of slits formed therein such that the ferromagnetic material is splayed open when compressed.
- 22. The catheter of claim 21, further comprising:
an electrode mounted on a distal end of the ferromagnetic material, wherein the electrode has a proximal side formed as a wedge, and wherein the electrode splays open the ferromagnetic material when the electrode is compressed against the ferromagnetic material.
- 23. The catheter of claim 15, further comprising:
a tubule, wherein the at least one needle includes a channel and at least one hole, wherein the channel extends from a proximal end of the at least one needle to the at least one hole, wherein the at least one hole is in fluid communication with the channel, wherein a distal end of the tubule is connected to the proximal end of the at least needle, and wherein the tubule is in fluid communication with the channel.
- 24. The catheter of claim 15, further comprising:
a reciprocator operable from the proximal end of the catheter for extending the at least one needle through the at least one exit port and for retracting the at least one needle into the interior of the catheter.
- 25. The catheter of claim 15, further comprising:
a disk mounted for reciprocal motion in the interior of the catheter near the distal end of the catheter body; a piston mounted for reciprocal motion near the proximal end of the catheter body; and a reciprocater, wherein the at least one needle is attached to a distal side of the disk, wherein fluid fills the interior of the catheter between the disk and the piston, and wherein the reciprocater is adapted to move the piston in the catheter body to create pressure within the catheter body which moves the disk forward and backward thereby extending the at least one needle through the at least one exit port and retracting the at least one needle into the interior of the catheter.
- 26. The catheter of claim 25, wherein the fluid which fills the interior of the catheter is heparinized normal saline.
- 27. The catheter of claim 25, wherein the reciprocater is an oscillator.
- 28. The catheter of claim 15, wherein the at least one exit port is a plurality of exit ports formed in the catheter body at or near the distal end of the catheter body, and wherein the at least one needle is a plurality of needles corresponding to each of the exit ports.
- 29. A catheter comprising:
a catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter body defining an interior and an exterior of the catheter; at least one exit port formed in the catheter body at or near the distal end of the catheter body; at least one needle moveably mounted in the catheter body and extendable from the at least one exit port such that a distal end of the at least one needle extends forward of the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the at least one needle includes a channel extending from a proximal end of the at least one needle to at least one hole formed in the at least one needle, the hole being in fluid communication with the channel; and a tubule having a distal end connected to a proximal end of the channel, the tubule being in fluid communication with the channel.
- 30. The catheter of claim 29, further comprising:
a fixation structure positioned at or near the distal end of the catheter body.
- 31. The catheter of claim 30, wherein the fixation structure includes a ferromagnetic material mounted on the distal end of the catheter body to form a catheter tip.
- 32. The catheter of claim 31, wherein the catheter tip is penetrable by the at least one needle, and wherein the at least one needle is extendable from the at least one exit port such that the distal end of the at least one needle extends forward of the catheter tip and projects through the catheter tip.
- 33. The catheter of claim 31, further comprising:
an electrical conductor, wherein the ferromagnetic material is electrically conductive, wherein the ferromagnetic and electrically conductive material projects from the interior to the exterior of the catheter at the distal end of the catheter body to form the catheter tip, wherein the conductor is electrically coupled to a portion of the ferromagnetic and electrically conductive material, and wherein the conductor extends into the interior of the catheter body.
- 34. The catheter of claim 31, wherein the ferromagnetic material includes a plurality of slits formed therein such that the ferromagnetic material is splayed open when compressed.
- 35. The catheter of claim 34, further comprising:
an electrode mounted on a distal end of the ferromagnetic material, wherein the electrode has a proximal side formed as a wedge, and wherein the electrode splays open the ferromagnetic material when the electrode is compressed against the ferromagnetic material.
- 36. The catheter of claim 29, wherein the at least one needle includes at least one hole in fluid communication with the channel, and wherein the at least one hole is formed in a side of the at least one needle.
- 37. The catheter of claim 36, wherein the at least one needle includes a plurality of holes in fluid communication with the channel, and wherein the holes are formed in a side of the at least one needle.
- 38. The catheter of claim 29, wherein the tubule extends from the proximal end of the at least one needle through the interior of the catheter.
- 39. The catheter of claim 29, further comprising:
a tubule port formed in the catheter body which is in fluid communication with the tubule.
- 40. The catheter of claim 29, further comprising:
a reciprocator operable from the proximal end of the catheter for extending the at least one needle through the at least one exit port and for retracting the at least one needle into the interior of the catheter.
- 41. The catheter of claim 29, further comprising:
a disk mounted for reciprocal motion in the interior of the catheter near the distal end of the catheter body; a piston mounted for reciprocal motion near the proximal end of the catheter body; and a reciprocator, wherein the at least one needle is attached to a distal side of the disk, wherein fluid fills the interior of the catheter between the disk and the piston, and wherein the reciprocator is adapted to move the piston in the catheter body to create pressure within the catheter body which moves the disk forward and backward thereby extending the at least one needle through the at least one exit port and retracting the at least one needle into the interior of the catheter.
- 42. The catheter of claim 41, wherein the fluid which fills the inside of the catheter body is heparinized normal saline.
- 43. The catheter of claim 41, wherein the reciprocater is an oscillator.
- 44. The catheter of claim 29, wherein the at least one exit port is a plurality of exit ports formed in the catheter body at or near the distal end thereof, and wherein the at least one needle is a plurality of needles corresponding to each of the exit ports.
- 45. A catheter comprising:
a catheter body having a distal end and a proximal end, the catheter body defining an interior and an exterior of the catheter; at least one exit port formed in the catheter body at or near the distal end of the catheter body; at least one needle mounted in the catheter body and extendable from the at least one exit port such that a distal end of the at least one needle extends distally forward of the distal end of the catheter body; a disk mounted for reciprocal motion in the interior of the catheter near the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the at least one needle is attached to a distal side of the disk; a piston mounted for reciprocal motion near the proximal end of the catheter body; and fluid which fills the interior of the catheter between the disk and the piston.
- 46. The catheter of claim 45, further comprising:
a fixation structure positioned at or near the distal end of the catheter.
- 47. The catheter of claim 46, wherein the fixation structure includes a ferromagnetic material mounted on the distal end of the catheter body to form a catheter tip.
- 48. The catheter of claim 47, wherein the catheter tip is penetrable by the at least one needle, and wherein the at least one needle is extendable from the at least one exit port such that the distal end of the at least projects through the catheter tip.
- 49. The catheter of claim 47, further comprising:
an electrical conductor, wherein the ferromagnetic material is electrically conductive, wherein the ferromagnetic and electrically conductive material projects from the interior to the exterior of the catheter at the distal end of the catheter body to form the catheter tip, wherein the conductor is electrically coupled to a portion of the ferromagnetic and electrically conductive material, and wherein the conductor extends into the interior of the catheter body.
- 50. The catheter of claim 47, wherein the ferromagnetic material includes a plurality of slits formed therein such that the ferromagnetic material is splayed open when compressed.
- 51. The catheter of claim 50, further comprising:
an electrode mounted on a distal end of the ferromagnetic material, wherein the electrode has a proximal side formed as a wedge, and wherein the electrode splays open the ferromagnetic material when the electrode is compressed against the ferromagnetic material.
- 52. The catheter of claim 45, further comprising:
a tubule, wherein the at least one needle includes a channel and at least one hole, wherein the channel extends from a proximal end of the at least one needle to the at least one hole, wherein the at least one hole is in fluid communication with the channel, wherein a distal end of the tubule is connected to the proximal end of the at least needle, and wherein the tubule is in fluid communication with the channel.
- 53. The catheter of claim 45, wherein the fluid which fills the interior of the catheter is heparinized normal saline.
- 54. The catheter of claim 45, further comprising:
a reciprocater for moving the piston in the catheter body to create pressure within the catheter body which moves the disk forward and backward and thereby extends the at least one needle from the at least one exit port and retracts the at least one needle into the interior of the catheter.
- 55. The catheter of claim 54, wherein the reciprocater is an oscillator.
- 56. The catheter of claim 45, wherein the at least exit port is a plurality of exit ports formed in the catheter body at or near the distal end thereof, and wherein the at least one needle is a plurality of needles corresponding to each of the exit ports.
- 57. A method for the treatment of acute myocardial ischemia comprising the steps of:
providing a catheter having a distal end in which a plurality of needles are mounted; positioning the distal end of the catheter within a chamber of a patient's heart adjacent to an ischemic region of the chamber's endocardium; extending the plurality of needles beyond the distal end of the catheter through the chamber's endocardium to create simultaneously a plurality of holes in the ischemic region of the chamber's myocardium.
- 58. The method of claim 57, wherein the chamber is the patient's left ventricle, and wherein the step of positioning the distal end of the catheter within a chamber of the heart includes the steps of inserting the distal end of the catheter percutaneously into an artery and directing the distal end of the catheter through the patient's aorta and into the left ventricle.
- 59. The method of claim 57, further comprising the step of:
confirming an ischemic region of the chamber's endocardium using a signal provided by an electrode before extending the plurality of needles, wherein the electrode is positioned at the distal end of the catheter.
- 60. The method of claim 57, further comprising the step of:
anchoring the distal end of the catheter to the ischemic region of the chamber's endocardium before extending the plurality of needles into the chamber's myocardium.
- 61. The method of claim 60, wherein the catheter includes a ferromagnetic material positioned on the distal end thereof to form a catheter tip, and wherein the step of anchoring the distal end of the catheter includes the step of applying an external magnetic field to force the catheter tip firmly against the endocardium.
- 62. The method of claim 57, further comprising the step of:
delivering a fluid through a hole in at least one of the plurality of needles and into the myocardium.
- 63. The method of claim 62, wherein the fluid is a drug or blood.
- 64. The method of claim 62, wherein the fluid is blood, and wherein the step of delivering fluid through the needle hole and into the myocardium includes the step of establishing fluid communication between the needle hole and an intra-arterial cannula via a tubule.
- 65. The method of claim 62, wherein the fluid is blood, and wherein the step of delivering fluid through the needle hole and into the myocardium includes the step of establishing fluid communication between the needle hole and the patient's ascending aorta via a tubule.
- 66. The method of claim 57, further comprising the step of:
applying electrical energy to the heart via an electrode positioned at the distal end of the catheter.
- 67. The method of claim 66, wherein the step of applying electrical energy to the heart includes the step of applying defibrillating electrical energy to the heart via the electrode.
- 68. The method of claim 66, wherein the step of applying electrical energy to the heart includes the step of applying pacing electrical energy to the heart via the electrode.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application claims priority to United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/230,440 filed Sep. 6, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60230440 |
Sep 2000 |
US |