Patent Application
20170173276
The present invention relates to a system and method for delivering a substance to a body cavity. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for delivering an anti-adhesive substance or mixture to a body cavity in conjunction with a minimally invasive operative procedure or for therapeutic treatment unrelated to a surgical procedure.
Among problems that physicians have encountered during diagnostic or surgical procedures, using both “open” techniques, and minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgical techniques, are numerous post procedural complications. These complications can consist of, but are not limited to, post operative pain, infections, tissue adhesions, and tumor formation. Numerous products, such as medications and associated delivery systems, addressing these issues exist on the market to improve the surgical or invasive experience and patient outcomes. Among these products are suction and irrigation wands that are used for flushing tissue sites with sterile water or saline and removing blood. There are medications, which are spread over exposed organs, to coat or provide a barrier between tissue and organs for prevention of adhesions. These materials may be in gel form, sheet form, spray (liquid) form, or aerosol form to coat organs or tissues, or to provide thin layer deposition to the organs in the operative site. Some of these materials may be used in both open and minimally invasive surgical techniques.
The problems with these materials, and their application as related to laparoscopy, are their inability to be used easily and effectively in a minimally invasive laparoscopic environment. Among the difficulties associated with spraying of liquids, is the pooling and lack of containment of the fluids used with irrigation and aspiration wands. It is also difficult to cover large areas (greater than several square centimeters), and do so without using much more medicament than is necessary. This contributes to the cost of excessive medication, and adding to the cost and time of the surgery.
Materials used in sheet form are not practical to apply to the organs when using laparoscopic minimally invasive techniques, due to the difficulty in getting the material through standard trocars, and then spreading the material out over the affected area, and keeping it in place once positioned. The liquid spray technique has many of the same problems as the irrigation approach. These devices normally force a liquid through a cannula like device under pressure. The introduction of additional fluid into the body cavity can cause increases in pressure and do not include a means for pressure relief. Without a means for directing the spray, it is difficult to control where the medication is deposited, and in what amount. Also, the precise disposition of the medication as to amount and location is difficult to control.
Compound materials are sometimes mixed prior to being aerosolized by a hand held syringe device, and then by applying an air stream to the mixed medication as it is being dispensed, to create an aerosolized stream that is used to “paint” the organs. This method also ignores the problem of the creation of additional pressure in the organ with no relief mechanism. Creating an aerosol “cloud” contends with the problem of how to effectively coat all the surfaces required, but also introduces the problem of increasing abdominal pressures uncontrollably inside an insufflated body cavity or organ, such as the peritoneum.
All of the above methodologies, while focused on applying substances in different physical forms for the purpose of treating or coating tissues and/or organs, have not been optimized for use in the laparoscopic, minimally invasive environment. The term “substance”, as used in this specification, includes, without limitation, a liquid, powder or gas, or any combination thereof.
In order to address the deficiencies in the prior art, a system and method for providing a substance to a body cavity to minimize adhesions is discussed below. According to a first aspect of the invention, a system is provided that will allow the application of a substance, such as an aerosolized medicament to a distended body cavity that will allow for the efficient, safe, and effective application of any number of substances, such as a mixture of hyaluronic acid and heparin, to prevent tissue adhesion. The system may include a source of pressurized gas, a source of liquid, and a nebulizing catheter. The nebulizing catheter may include at least one liquid lumen and at least one gas lumen, where the at least one liquid lumen is in communication with the source of liquid and the at least one gas lumen is in communication with the source of pressurized gas. The nebulizing catheter has a distal end positionable in a body cavity and the liquid lumen and gas lumens are oriented at the distal end to mix the gas and liquid to generate an aerosol inside the body cavity to cover exposed organs and a wall of an abdomen. The liquid comprises a mixture of hyaluronic acid and heparin in a ratio by volume in the range of 1:1 to 1:10 of hyaluronic acid to heparin.
According to another aspect of this invention, the catheter may include one liquid lumen and a plurality of gas lumens sized and oriented at the distal end to mix the gas and liquid to generate an aerosol having a particle size in a range of 10 microns to 25 microns inside the body cavity to cover exposed organs and a wall of an abdomen. A liquid and gas dispensing controller is configured to manage delivery to the nebulizing catheter of gas from the source of pressurized gas and liquid from the source of liquid, and the liquid is a mixture of hyaluronic acid and heparin. The hyaluronic acid may have a molecular weight in a range of 600 kilo Daltons (kDa) to 4,000 kDa, in one implementation, or in a range of 1,000 kDa up to 2,000 kDa in another.
Further aspects and advantages of the invention are discussed below in conjunction with the preferred embodiments.
Referring to
An aerosolization gas supply, preferably separately controllable from the general insufflation gas sent through the gas delivery line 18 to the nebulization catheter 22, is also supplied by the insufflator 14. This aerosolization gas supply is directed through a gas line 18 connected to a nebulization catheter 22 inserted into the peritoneum through another trocar 23 or other suitable needle. Although the system 10 may operate with a single pressure relief control valve positioned anywhere along the components making up the insufflation gas supply chain, a separate and independently controllable pressure relief valve 25 may be positioned on the nebulization gas supply, such as at the trocar 23 for the nebulization catheter 22. The nebulization catheter receives a medicament in fluid form from fluid supply line 26 connected with the pump 16. The gas provided to the nebulizing catheter is mixed with a fluid medicament supplied by the pump 16 and generates a nebulized medicament for deposit on specific organs, on the peritoneum cavity wall and other locations within the patient 12. The system of
The insufflator 14 may be any of a number of insufflators, such as the OMNIFLATOR Model 6620 available from Northgate Technologies, Inc. of Elgin, Ill. Examples of suitable insufflators are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,592 and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/829,485, and the entirety of each of these references are incorporated by reference. The insufflator may include a pressurized source of insufflation gas. Examples of insufflation gases include, but are not limited to, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, argon, or helium. The insufflation gas is typically reduced in pressure by the insufflator to approximately 45 to 55 millimeters of mercury (also know as a “push” pressure), although the pressure may be changed depending on the insufflator in use and any regulations that may be in force. While the push pressure may be in the range of 45-55 millimeters of mercury, the actual pressure maintained in the peritoneum or other body cavity is preferably less than 25-30 mm of mercury and, in the case of many laparoscopic surgeries, most preferably in the range of 12 mm of mercury.
The pump 16 may be a peristaltic pump, syringe pump, hydraulic (air over liquid) pump or any other mechanism capable of controlling the dispensing of medication. Controllable pump parameters may include the rate and volume, as well as the timing, of delivery. It is contemplated that continuous and periodic pumping may be desired. Delayed pumping of medication, such as the transport of medication to the nebulization catheter 22 at predetermined times for predetermined intervals is also contemplated. In one embodiment, the pump may include a heating mechanism to heat the fluid to a controlled temperature prior to delivery to the fluid line 26 and nebulizing catheter 22.
The gas and fluid lines 18, 26 may be constructed from disposable polyvinyl chloride tubes, although in other embodiments any suitable materials may be used. For example, the tubing may be made of a silicone material that is reusable. The diameters of the tubes may be varied depending on flow rate requirements and any regulations that are in force. Also, the inner diameter of each of the tubes may be different from each other. A filter (not shown) may be located in each of the tubes used for the gas lines 18 to provide a particulate barrier. In one embodiment, the filter may be a glass-fiber hydrophobic filter that provides a particulate barrier of approximately 0.2 microns and operates at a ninety-nine percent rate of efficiency. In other embodiments any number of commonly used filters, with different filtering capabilities, may also be used.
The pressure relief valves (PRV's) 24, 25 associated with the insufflation and aerosolization gas supplies, respectively, may be located within the gas supply lines 18 or the catheters 20, 22. In other embodiments the valves 24, 25 may each be a discrete valve such as commonly available from Pneutronics, a division of Parker Hannifin Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio. Any of a number of types of valves may be used. For example, the valve may be operated electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically. In other embodiments, the valve may be a mechanical pressure relief valve preset to relieve pressure once a preset maximum has been reached. For example, when the pressure of the insufflation gas reaches a preset pressure, a spring operated valve opens and provides pressure relief. Preferably, the valve is operated by a signal generated by a controller associated with the electronics of the insufflator. An example of such a controller is contained within the control circuitry of the Northgate OMNIFLATOR 6620 Insufflator, and an example of such a valve is a pinch valve. The signal is generated via feedback due to the monitoring of flow restriction or back pressure sensed by a central controller 130 (See
The nebulizing catheter 22 preferably includes a combination of at least one fluid lumen and at least one gas lumen oriented to mix the gas and fluid to generate an aerosol mist inside the peritoneum. Any of a number of nebulizing catheters may be utilized, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,223, issued Oct. 12, 1999 and entitled “Nebulizing Catheter and Methods of Use and Manufacture”, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. Some examples of nebulizing catheters are shown in
The additional lumen 40 also carries a pressurized gas which is directed in a proximal direction by the orifice 46 against the direction of the aerosol plume generated by the gas and liquid exiting the orifices 36 and 38. The gas from the additional lumen 40 presents a counterflow to the gas from these orifices thereby slowing down the velocity of the particles generated from these orifices. In a preferred embodiment, the distal tubular extension 42 may be formed of a suitable material such as stainless steel needle stock.
In another embodiment of a nebulization catheter arrangement, the catheter may include three lumens, two gas and one liquid, where the second of the two gas lumens is utilized to sense pressure and/or provide pressure relief to the body cavity.
Referring to
As shown in
A more detailed diagram of an embodiment of a regulated liquid and gas dispensing controller 150 incorporating a syringe pump, independent CPU and optional active pressure relief mechanism as shown in
The pressure of insufflation gas supplied to a patient generally needs to be at a lower pressure and so the gas from high pressure manifold at, for example, 150 p.s.i. is then processed through a low pressure manifold 158. The low pressure manifold includes a low pressure regulator 160 configured to further reduce the gas pressures. In this example, the gas pressure is reduced from 150 p.s.i. to 100 p.s.i. This pressure translates to a flow rate of 2-3 liters per minute actually introduced to the body cavity due. The pressures discussed above are merely presented as examples and the various pressure settings in the high and low pressure manifolds may be user adjustable, or may be preset at the manufacturer with no manual settings necessary, at any of a number of pressures. The low pressure manifold also includes a passive pressure relief valve (PRV) 162 set to mechanically release pressure above a predetermined threshold which, in this example, is 0.9 pounds per square inch gauge (p.s.i.g.). An electrically controllable output valve 164 meters the gas output sent on to a catheter. Pressure monitor lines connect a central processor (CPU) 166 to the low pressure manifold via high pressure sensors 168. When used in an insufflator arrangement, at least one of a passive pressure relief valve 24 (See
An actuator 192 may be connected with the controller 150 to initiate one or more actions by the controller 150. For example, the actuator 192 may send a signal to the CPU 166 that will start or stop the production of insufflation gas, the dispensing of fluids or other activities. In one embodiment, the actuator 192 may be a foot pedal or some other form of actuator that allows a medical practitioner to keep both hands free. Push buttons, levers, touch-screens or any of a number of actuation input means are also contemplated.
An optional portion of the regulated liquid and gas dispensing controller is an active pressure controller 194 that, in addition to the mechanical, passive pressure relief valve 162, can provide a mechanism for limiting pressure supplied to the patient. Although optional, the active pressure controller 194 can provide more precise pressure control by taking a pressure measurement supplied from a sensor via an external pressure sense line 196 at the patient's body and allowing the CPU 166 to actively regulate the pressure. Pressure data may be provided to the CPU 166 by way of low pressure sensors 198. The active pressure controller can reduce the pressure supplied to the patient through one or more active pressure relief valves electrically controllable by the CPU.
Some operative and post-operative therapies may require a mixture of more than one fluid. The fluid mixture can be achieved through a number of minor modifications. One embodiment of a regulated liquid and gas dispensing controller 150 with multiple fluid sources is illustrated in
Upon a signal from the CPU 166 and motor controller 170, each motor 178, 180 will move its push plate a certain metered distance and cause the syringe to eject a measured amount of fluid into the fluid mixing chamber 172. Each motor 178, 180 may be instructed to move the same or different amount depending on the desired mixture of fluids. Check valves 186, 188 may be included on the input ports of the fluid mixing chamber as added protection against back flow into the same or different syringe. In order to provide sufficient pressure to eject the mixture of fluid from the fluid mixing chamber, such as a 20 p.s.i. or other low pressure regulator, supply of gas from the low pressure manifold 159 is taken after the low pressure regulator 160 and further processed through a mixing chamber pressure regulator 190 down to, in this example, 20 p.s.i. The gas is then transmitted to the fluid mixing chamber to propel the mixed fluid to the catheter for nebulization in a body cavity, for topical application or other application. Using this embodiment, the different fluids can be administered in combination or consecutively, where a single fluid is sent through, and evacuated from, the mixing chamber before the next fluid is dispensed.
Another embodiment of a controller 202 configured for fluid mixture is shown in
In addition to providing configurations of a controller for providing a single type of fluid, or multiple types of fluids, embodiments of the present invention include configurations and methods for accommodating multiple different gases. In one embodiment, shown in
In another embodiment, the fluid pump assembly of the regulated liquid and gas dispensing controller, which includes the motor controller 170, motor 178, and push plate 182, may be adapted to work with a disposable catheter, syringe and tubing set 226. As shown in
Utilizing the integrated system or separate system components described above, a method of providing a substance, such as a nebulized medication, to a body cavity during a minimally invasive procedure is now described. Although a laparoscopic procedure is specifically identified below, the applications of medication using this system can include administration of nebulized substances onto or into specific organs and lumens in the body, as well as topical applications. Additionally, the systems and methods described herein are applicable to minimally invasive procedures generally. In many normal laparoscopic procedures, such as for gall bladders, hernias, bowl resections and etc., a patient is placed in the prone position and sedated. A verres-type needle is placed in the patient to transport gas to the patient and this verres needle is connected to the insufflator to pump up the peritoneum. One suitable verres needle or, more generally, insertion device is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/841,125, filed Apr. 24, 2001 and published on Dec. 5, 2002 as Pub. No. US 2002/0183715, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. The verres needle may then be removed and a trocar inserted through the needle hole already made, while maintaining a supply gas in the cavity. Using the opening provided by the trocar, an endoscope is inserted so that a physician may see inside the body. At this point, several other smaller trocars may be inserted into the body for instruments to be used as needed for the particular procedure.
Utilizing the system described above, the insufflation gas is preferably heated and humidified, and an appropriate medicament treatment is applied. For example, to avoid adhesion problems which may often occur in laparoscopic procedures, an aerosol can be provided via the aerosolization catheter to cover the exposed organs and wall of the abdomen. This anti-adhesion treatment may be repeated multiple times during a surgical procedure and be preprogrammed into the central controller 130 of the system. During the procedure, the parameters relating to the delivery of gas and fluid may be displayed and individually controlled. The parameters may include humidity, temperature, pH, volume, rate, pressure, and duration of any of the fluid or gas being injected into the patient. The pH may be adjusted by, for example, the introduction of acid or buffer solutions to the fluid. While any of a number of catheters may be used with the various embodiments of the regulated liquid and gas dispensing controller to apply a medication, or supply both the insufflation gas and a medication, two suitable catheters are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,379,373, issued Apr. 30, 2002, and 6,165,201, issued Dec. 26, 2000. The disclosure of both of these U.S. patents is incorporated herein by reference.
With the system and method described above, a physician may apply an aerosolized medicament to a distended body cavity that will allow for efficient, safe and effective application of any number of potentially aerosolized liquids which can be used for pain and management (analgesics), infection prevention (prophylactic antibiotics), tissue adhesion (any number of formulations can be used including naturally occurring lubricious medications such as hyaluronic acid, or any number of other medicaments such as heparin, glycerin or glycol medications, or even humidity), and tumor prevention (using targeted or prophylactic chemotherapy drugs or methods) or to control bleeding or blood clotting. Although laparoscopic procedures are specifically discussed above, the systems and methods disclosed herein are contemplated for use in any endoscopic or other minimally invasive procedure.
With reference to targeted or prophylactic chemotherapy, according to another aspect of this invention, the system may be used for general continued, and post-operative applications of a substance by re-instituting an environment in the patient in which subsequent applications of the substance, such as an aerosolized medication, may be administered. This may be accomplished by leaving a port device in the patient after a surgical procedure, or by surgically placing a port in the patient in preparation of a non-surgical treatment regimen. The port may be any device capable of providing a sanitary access point to a body cavity, where the device is a resealable mechanism that attaches to the exterior of the abdomen and the interior wall of the abdomen. One example of a suitable port is an enteral feeding tube port. The port permits the device for applying a substance to the body cavity, in this instance a nebulizing catheter, and the remainder of the system 10 of
Alternatively, independently of any post-operative pain or infection, a patient may be provided with such a port for the purpose of allowing an effective chemotherapy treatment. In this situation, a patient would be provided with the port so that the organ or organs affected by a cancer may be directly treated with aerosol treatment customized for that particular patient or tumor. In either situation, post-operative reentry or chemotherapy application, treatment may be accomplished without an endoscope. In some embodiments, an endoscope may be used to allow a medical professional to properly apply the aerosol to the desired region and so that a distal end of a nebulizing catheter may be oriented to provide optimal aerosol placement. During the re-entry into the peritoneum, the pressure relief valve or valves (active or passive) are used to maintain a safe cavity pressure. By maintaining proper pressure within the peritoneum, any additional pressure introduced by the gas used in the aerosolization of the medicine, or pressure from the introduction of fluids or other substances from outside the body cavity may be accounted for.
In one embodiment, a method for preventing or minimizing adhesions includes combining a first substance comprising hyaluronic acid (HA) and a second substance comprising heparin to produce a liquid mixture suitable to be injected under pressure using a delivery system such as described above. Although the delivery system may be any of the delivery systems 10, 100 noted above, other delivery systems capable of aerosolizing the liquid mixture for administration in aerosol form in the peritoneal cavity may be used. The delivery of a mixture of the first and second substances is preferred, however the first and second substances may be delivered serially in some instances depending on the surgical procedure and site. The aerosolized mixture is preferably administered upon completion of a surgical procedure, although it can also be applied prior to and/or during a surgical procedure.
The first and second substances are present within the mixture at a ratio of first substance to second substance (HA to heparin) in the range of 1:1 to 1:10 by volume. In other embodiments the ratio may be inverted such that more HA than heparin may be in the mixture by volume. For example, the ratio may be 4:1 HA to heparin. By delivering the mixture in aerosol form, a mixture volume of as little as 15 milliliters (ml) may have the desired anti-adhesion effect. The mixture may comprise concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3% or 4% HA. Additionally, it is contemplated that volumes of no less than 50 units/ml of HA and no more than 500 units/ml of heparin will be used. Preferably, the mixture comprises 2% HA and 100 units/ml of heparin and most preferably 1% HA and 100 units/ml of heparin. 1 unit of heparin is an amount approximately equivalent to 0.02 milligrams (mg) of pure heparin. Unfractionated heparin may be used although low molecular weight heparin is preferred as low molecular weight heparin generally has a half life of 4-5 hours compared to 1-2 hours typical of unfractionated heparin. Heparin derived from tissues of porcine or bovine is preferred although synthetic heparin may also be used instead. In one exemplary embodiment, a pharmaceutical grade of heparin derived from mucosal tissues of animals may be used, such as is available from any of a number of pharmaceutical manufacturers. In one embodiment, the HA used may be NeoVisc® 1% HA available from Stellar Pharmaceuticals Inc.
In one exemplary embodiment, the HA has a molecular weight in the range of 600 kilo Daltons (kDa) to 4,000 kDa, or preferably a range of 1,000 kDa to 2,000 kDa. In the same exemplary embodiment, the heparin may have a molecular weight in the range of 3 kDa up to 30 kDa and most preferably a molecular weight in the range of 5 kDa to 15 kDa. As is known, molecular weights are proportional to viscosities and thus the higher the molecular weight the higher the viscosity for each of these substances. The delivery device lumens and pressure administered may be varied to accommodate the different viscosities. For example, in a nebulizing catheter having 5 gas lumens and a single liquid lumen such as described below, the gas lumens would each have an inner diameter ranging from 0.006 +/−0.0005 inches at a proximal end tapering to gas orifices each having a size of 0.003 inches at the distal end of the catheter, and the liquid lumen would have an inner diameter of 0.009 +/−0.001 inches at a proximal end tapering to a single liquid orifice having a size of 0.005 inches at the distal end. The pressure applied to the gas lumens may be 60-120 p.s.i. and to the liquid lumen 40-100 p.s.i.
In addition to the two substances of HA and heparin, a third substance such as water, saline, buffer and/or any other fluid may be added to solubilize the first substance and/or second substance, or to reduce the molecular weight of one or both of the first and second substances, if necessary to one or both substances or to the mixture. Other substances which do not chemically interact with HA or heparin may also be added, including certain cancer medications or painkillers such as, without limitation, the pain medication Bupivacaine. Preferably, a volume of 10 ml to 20 ml of Bupivacaine would be added to the mixture or most preferably 15 ml. The administration of Bupivacaine (such as Marcain®) in liquid form has been shown in some studies as reducing post-operative shoulder pain.
The aerosolized liquid mixture preferably comprises particles of an aerodynamic size ranging from 10 microns up to 25 microns, and preferably from 13 microns to 25 microns, and most preferably 15 microns to 20 microns. At these ranges, the aerosolized liquid mixture can expand within the peritoneal cavity in an aerosol cloud formation and remain in suspension for up to 3-5 minutes. This ensures that the peritoneal cavity is properly coated, including the underside of the abdominal wall and organs which during the 3-5 minute period may change position and orientation in the body cavity.
Referring to
The catheter may be formed of any of a number of flexible materials, such as nylon. A shaped spring wire or other type of resilient reinforcing shaft may be inserted or embedded in the full catheter shaft and/or tip area to create the intended shape. Alternatively, the polymer or catheter material may be selected and manufactured to impart a resilient shape or curve without the need for a reinforcing member. One suitable type of catheter adaptable for use in the system 10 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,223, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
As shown in the exploded view of
The proximal portion 1210 of the catheter 1201 may include one or more catheter markings 1212 to assist a physician in gauging how deeply the catheter tip 1206 is inserted, and therefore what angle the tip 1206 may be at, in the body cavity. The catheter markings are spaced apart at even intervals in one embodiment. Catheter markings 1212 may be spaced apart at uneven intervals in other embodiments. The catheter markings may consist of bands of the same or different colors, may include indicia indicative of an insertion depth or orientation of the distal end of the catheter, or may consist of one or more different texture regions. The texture regions may be uniform or may consist of differing shapes or configurations (e.g. raised or recessed regions). Any of a number of other forms of indicia is also contemplated.
The catheter 1201 may be constructed with a single lumen or multiple lumens. In one embodiment, a multiple lumen arrangement may be used, where more than one of the lumens may be dedicated to a nebulizing gas and one of the lumens is dedicated to carrying a mixture of HA and heparin.
In one embodiment, a multiple lumen nebulizing catheter such as catheter 1221 may be used with the mixture of HA and heparin as discussed above to achieve a particle size in the range of 10 to 25 microns using multiple gas lumens. For example, an embodiment of a catheter may include 5 gas lumens, each with an inner diameter of 0.006 inches +/−0.0005 inches at the proximal portion 1210 of the catheter 1201, and a liquid lumen having an inner diameter of 0.009 inches +/−0.001 inches at the proximal portion 1210. These lumens may be tapered down in the tapered section 1204 to inner diameters of 0.003 inches for the gas orifices 1304 at the nozzle 1208 at the end of the pre-shaped tip 1206 and to an inner diameter of 0.005 inches at the liquid orifice at the end of the liquid lumen. As noted above, the liquid lumen diameter, and orifice diameter, may need to be changed to accommodate different viscosity (e.g. different molecular weight) mixtures of HA and heparin to achieve the flow rate and particle size of 10-25 microns (or the other noted ranges) that are desired to generate an aerosol mist that can stay suspended for the desired 3-5 minute period of time. Also, in other embodiments, a nebulizing catheter may be used with lumens that are not tapered but that are sized to generate the desired particle size (e.g. particles of the HA and heparin mixture noted above having an aerodynamic size ranging from 10 microns up to 25 microns, and preferably from 13 microns to 25 microns, and most preferably 15 microns to 20 microns).
As discussed above, a method and apparatus for creating a medicated atmosphere of a mixture of hyaluronic acid and heparin in an organ or body cavity has been disclosed. The method permits a creation of an aerosol cloud allowing for the deposition of a substance comprising a medicament on all or a selected number of interior surfaces. Preferably, the cloud is of particle sizes in the range of 10-25 microns, more preferably in the range of 13-25 microns, and most preferably in the range of 15-20 microns, that can stay suspended for a period of time, such as 3-5 minutes, to allow the aerosolized mixture to deposit over that time on a dynamically changing topology of exposed regions inside a body cavity. The apparatus for depositing the desired mixture may include an aerosolization catheter that can be manipulated during use, a device for the introduction of the aerosolization catheter, a medication delivery system linked to a control means for the control of rate, amount, and time of delivery of the medication, a system for providing pressure control of a gas to the catheter which is also controlled as to pressure, timing and rate of gas flow, a means for monitoring and relieving the pressure of the gas, alone or in conjunction with an insufflator, and a means of integrating the control of the various gas and fluid supplies for complete system control. Additionally, means for reentering the peritoneum or organ post-operatively to recreate a medicated environment for a post-operative treatment is disclosed. In different embodiments, insufflation and nebulization may both be performed through a single gas lumen in a catheter, or multiple gas lumens, using the same regulated liquid and gas dispensing controller.
It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be understood that the following claims, including all equivalents, are intended to define the scope of this invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/590,953, filed Aug. 21, 2012, pending, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/336,163, filed Dec. 23, 2011, pending, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/726,137, filed Mar. 17, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,105,267, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/961,475, filed Oct. 7, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,704,223, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/509,733, filed Oct. 7, 2003, and the entirety of each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60509733 | Oct 2003 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13840460 | Mar 2013 | US |
| Child | 15222201 | US | |
| Parent | 13336163 | Dec 2011 | US |
| Child | 13590953 | US | |
| Parent | 12726137 | Mar 2010 | US |
| Child | 13336163 | US | |
| Parent | 10961475 | Oct 2004 | US |
| Child | 12726137 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13590953 | Aug 2012 | US |
| Child | 13840460 | US |
