Cell treatment apparatus and method
OwnerGeorge S. Abelainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A catheter arrangement and associated method provides for the application of a cell treatment agent, such as genetic material or drugs to be inserted within the cells of a patient in vivo. The catheter arrangement uses an optical fiber having a prism at its tip. Laser energy from the optical fiber is directed by the prism through a window portion on a side of the catheter. The window portion has a plurality of holes so as to divide the laser energy into a plurality of microbeams. The microbeams potate cell walls of the patient's cells. A treatment agent channel in the catheter allows the treatment agent to be provided directly to the same holes through which the microbeams pass such that the treatment agent is very efficiently applied to the porations in the cell walls.
Claims24
An apparatus for patient treatment comprising:
- a treatment catheter including an optical fiber, a body having a wall with a window means disposed therein to pass laser energy from said optical fiber, and a treatment agent channel inside said body, said window means passing laser energy for poration of a patient's cells in vivo, said treatment agent channel operable to supply treatment agent to said window means for entry into a patient's cells in vivo after the patient's cells have been porated by said laser energy, said treatment catheter further including a flushing solution channel distinct from said treatment agent channel and terminating in a flushing solution exit for applying flushing solution to a treatment site in a patient.
An apparatus for patient treatment comprising:
- a treatment catheter including an optical fiber, a body having a wall with a window means disposed therein to pass laser energy from said optical fiber, and a treatment agent channel inside said body, said window means passing laser energy in a form including at least one beam passing through an opening of less than 200 microns in said window portion, said opening functioning to limit said at least one beam in diameter, said treatment agent channel disposed to supply treatment agent by way of said opening to a location for entry into a patient's cells in vivo after the patient's cells have been porated by said laser energy.
An apparatus for patient treatment comprising:
- a laser catheter including an optical fiber, a body having a wall with a window means disposed therein to pass laser energy from said optical fiber, and a treatment agent channel inside said body, said window means passing laser energy in the form of a plurality of distinct beams, there being at least three distinct beams, each of the three beams passes out of said window portion in the same general direction for poration of a patient's cells in vivo, said treatment agent channel operable to supply treatment agent to a location for entry into a patient's cells in vivo after the patient's cells have been porated by said plurality of distinct beams.
A method of treating cells of a patient in vivo comprising the steps of:
- inserting a laser catheter into the patient;
- passing laser energy through an opening at a distal end of said catheter such that the laser energy is applied to the cells of the patient in vivo to cause porations in the cells;
- and
- applying a treatment agent to the cells having porations therein such that the treatment agent enters the cells through the porations said applying of the treatment agent being performed by forcing the treatment agent out said opening to follow at least one path corresponding to a beam of said laser energy.
A method of treating cells of a patient in vivo comprising the steps of:
- applying laser energy to the cells of the patient in vivo to cause porations in the cells;
- and
- applying a treatment agent to the cells having porations therein such that the treatment agent enters the cells through the porations;
- and
- further comprising the step of inserting a laser catheter into the patient and wherein the laser energy is applied to the cells as a plurality of beams each leaving said laser catheter with a width of less than 200 microns and wherein the treatment agent is a drug.
A method of treating cells of a patient in vivo comprising the steps of:
- inserting a laser catheter into the patient;
- applying laser energy to the cells of the patient in vivo to cause porations in the cells, the laser energy exiting from at least one opening in said laser catheter;
- and applying a treatment agent to the cells having porations therein such that the treatment agent enters the cells through the porations;
- and
- wherein said treatment agent is forced out said opening to follow at least one path corresponding to a beam of said laser energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.