Cooled injection catheters

A system for treating a patient after a myocardial infarction, the system comprising:

• a needle;
• a thermosensitive gel;
• a catheter, the catheter having a cooling tube disposed therein, the cooling tube including a proximal region having a first outer diameter and a distal region having a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter;
• wherein the distal region of the cooling tube has a plurality of openings formed therein;
• a handle coupled to the catheter;
• and
• a cooling fluid source coupled to the handle, the cooling fluid source being configured to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling tube.

A method for injecting a thermosensitive gel into a heart of a patient, the method comprising:

• advancing a cooling injection catheter through a body lumen toward a target treatment region;
• wherein the cooling injection catheter comprises:
• an elongate shaft having a distal end region,
• a cooling tube extending through the elongate shaft, the cooling tube including a proximal region having a first outer diameter and a distal region having a second outer diameter smaller than the first outer diameter,
• wherein the cooling tube defines a cooling fluid inflow lumen, and
• wherein the distal region of the cooling tube has a plurality of openings formed therein;
• disposing a needle in the cooling tube;
• advancing a cooling fluid into the cooling fluid inflow lumen;
• and
• advancing a thermosensitive gel through the needle.