Implantable medical device for controlled fluid flow distribution among a plurality of treatment catheters

An implantable drug delivery system configured to deliver one or more pharmaceutical agents to two or more treatment sites within a body of a patient, the system comprising:

• a plurality of treatment catheters configured to be implanted within the body of a patient and transport one or more pharmaceuticals agent to two or more treatment sites;
• and
• a drug delivery device configured to deliver a fluid comprising the one or more pharmaceutical agents to the patient through the plurality of treatment catheters, the drug delivery device delivering the fluid at a total volumetric flow rate, the drug delivery device comprising:
• a drug reservoir for receiving the one or more pharmaceutical agents;
• a header configured to passively control and passively regulate a flow of the fluid under a selected flow distribution that divides the total volumetric flow rate of the fluid between the plurality of treatment catheters, each treatment catheter receiving a sub-portion of the total volumetric flow rate, the header comprising a plurality of outlet connectors that each couple to a respective catheter of the plurality of treatment catheters;
• a pump mechanism configured to pump the fluid comprising the one or more pharmaceutical agents from the drug reservoir through the outlet connectors;
• and
• a single flow restrictor sized and positioned within a respective fluid pathway from an inlet connector to a respective outlet connector of the plurality of outlet connectors, the single flow restrictor providing a fixed flow restriction that is set before, during or after the system is implanted within the body of the patient and thereafter provides a fixed flow resistance that passively controls the flow of the fluid from the drug reservoir to the plurality of outlet connectors and the plurality of treatment catheters under the selected flow distribution and thereby passively regulates and manages fluid flow through the treatment catheters to provide controlled flow rates and a controlled fluid distribution within the plurality of treatment catheters when using the drug delivery device due to a predominate pressure drop created by the single flow restrictor compared to pressure drops along the respective fluid pathway distal to the fixed flow restriction;
• and
• wherein the drug delivery device further comprises an adjustment mechanism that controls a location of the fluid flowing from the drug reservoir through the single flow restrictor to set the selected flow distribution,
• wherein a ratio of the sub-portions of the total volumetric flow rate flowing through the plurality of treatment catheters is determined by the selected flow distribution of the single flow restrictor within the respective fluid pathways.

An implantable medical device comprising:

• a flow control hub configured to passively control and passively regulate a flow of fluid under a selected flow distribution, comprising:
• an inlet connector configured to fluidically connect to a drug delivery device that delivers a fluid comprising one or more pharmaceutical agents to the inlet connector, the fluid being delivered at a total volumetric flow rate;
• a plurality of outlet connectors each configured to fluidically connect to a respective treatment catheter;
• and
• a single flow restrictor sized and positioned within a respective fluid pathway from the inlet connector to a respective outlet connector of the plurality of outlet connectors, the single flow restrictor providing a fixed flow restriction that is set before, during or after implantation of the hub within a body of a patient and thereafter provides a fixed flow resistance that passively controls the flow of the fluid from the inlet connector to the plurality of outlet connectors and the plurality of outlet connectors under the selected flow distribution and thereby passively regulates and manages fluid flow through the treatment catheters to provide controlled flow rates and a controlled fluid distribution within the plurality of treatment catheters when using the drug delivery device due to a predominate pressure drop created by the single flow restrictor compared to pressure drops along the respective fluid pathway distal to the fixed flow restriction;
• and
• an adjustment mechanism that controls a location of the fluid flowing from the inlet connector through the single flow restrictor to set the selected flow distribution, wherein the adjustment mechanism is configured to be magnetically adjusted percutaneously after implantation to adjust the selected flow distribution,
• wherein the selected flow distribution divides the total volumetric flow rate of the fluid between the plurality of outlet connectors, each outlet connector receiving a sub-portion of the total volumetric flow rate, and
• wherein a ratio of the sub-portions of the total volumetric flow rate flowing through the plurality of outlet connectors is determined by the selected flow distribution of the single flow restrictor within the respective fluid pathways.