Implanting and fixing a flexible probe for administering a medical therapy at a treatment site within a patient'body

A medical procedure for implanting and stabilizing a flexible probe at a desired position within a patient's body, said flexible probe being used for effecting a light therapy at a treatment site proximate the desired position, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a strip of a flexible substrate on which is disposed a light source for effecting the light therapy, said strip having a cross-sectional dimension, and a length, said length of the strip being substantially greater than its cross-sectional dimension;
• (b) coupling a distal end of the strip to a pointed instrument;
• (c) forcing the pointed instrument through tissue in the body of the patient, so that the pointed instrument draws the strip after it into the desired position at the treatment site;
• (d) decoupling the strip from the pointed instrument;
• and
• (e) withdrawing the pointed instrument from the patient's body, leaving the strip and the light source disposed at the desired location to administer the light therapy to the treatment site.

Apparatus adapted for administering a light therapy to a treatment site disposed within a patient's body, comprising:

• (a) a flexible strip having a width and a length, said width being substantially less than said length of the flexible strip, a light source being disposed on the flexible strip for effecting the light therapy at the treatment site;
• (b) a pointed instrument for defining a path through the tissue in the patient's body, said path being used for delivering the flexible strip to the treatment site in the patient's body;
• and
• (c) means for drawing the flexible strip behind the pointed instrument along the path through tissue in the patient's body so that the flexible strip is disposed in a desired position at the treatment site, and so that the light source is thereby enabled to administer the light therapy to the treatment site.

A method for implanting and fixing a flexible probe in a desired position at a treatment site within a patient's body to deliver a light therapy to the treatment site, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a flexible probe that comprises an elongate strip having sufficient flexibility to sustain deformation and bending without damage, said flexible strip including a plurality of light sources for effecting the light therapy;
• (b) forcing a pointed instrument through tissue to the treatment site within the patient's body, creating a path through the tissue;
• (c) drawing the strip comprising the flexible probe into the tissue, along the path followed by the pointed instrument;
• and
• (d) once the strip is implanted at the treatment site, administering the light therapy to the treatment site with the plurality of light sources.

A method for implanting and fixing a flexible probe in a desired position at a treatment site within a patient's body, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a flexible probe that comprises an elongate strip having sufficient flexibility to sustain deformation and bending without damage;
• (b) attaching the strip to a surgical needle;
• (c) forcing the surgical needle through tissue to the treatment site within the patient's body, so that the strip comprising the flexible probe is drawn into the tissue by the surgical needle, along a path followed by the surgical needle;
• (d) once the strip is implanted with the surgical needle in the desired position at the treatment site, disconnecting the surgical needle from the strip;
• (e) withdrawing the surgical needle from the tissue, leaving the strip disposed in the desired position within the patient's body to administer the medical treatment to the treatment site;
• (f) securing one end of the strip to a first object, said first object serving to anchor the strip in the desired position at the treatment site, preventing movement of the strip relative to the treatment site;
• and
• (g) securing a second object to another end of said strip after the strip is disposed at the desired position, said second object including a sleeve that slips over the strip, said step of securing including one of the steps of:
• crimping the sleeve of the second object about the strip, adhesively connecting the second object to the strip, connecting the second object to the strip with a threaded fastener, connecting the second object to the strip with a pin that extends through the sleeve and into the strip, and suturing the second object to the strip.