Device and method for direct delivery of a therapeutic using non-newtonian fluids
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsSamuel J. Epstein, Wendy Naimark, Toby Freyman
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Abstract
A device, system, and method for direct delivery of a therapeutic to a target site that utilizes the non-Newtonian characteristics of shear thinning and shear thickening to allow easy passage of a therapeutic through a delivery lumen yet facilitate retention of the therapeutic in the target site. The device, system, and method includes increasing the shear rate or shear stress of a non-Newtonian fluid having therapeutic properties thereby increasing or decreasing the viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid.
Claims23
A device for direct delivery of a shear thickening fluid having therapeutic properties to a target site, the device comprising:
- a channel having a proximal end, a distal end and a central lumen extending therethrough, the central lumen having a longitudinal axis, the channel containing a shear thickening fluid having therapeutic properties, the channel configured to expose the shear thickening fluid to a viscosity adjuster;
- wherein the viscosity adjuster comprises at least two non-overlapping projections extending from one or more walls of the channel and leaving an open flow channel coincident with the central lumen's longitudinal axis,
- wherein the viscosity adjuster's at least two non-overlapping projections are located at the same point along the central lumen's longitudinal axis and define at least one constricted flow orifice perpendicular to the central lumen's longitudinal axis.
A method for directly delivering a shear thickening fluid having therapeutic properties to a target site, the method comprising:
- loading the fluid in a channel, the channel having a central lumen and a viscosity adjuster, the central lumen having a longitudinal axis, and the viscosity adjuster comprising at least two non-overlapping projections extending from one or more walls of the channel and leaving an open flow channel coincident with the central lumen's longitudinal axis;
- adjusting the viscosity of the fluid by exposing the fluid to the viscosity adjuster of the channel;
- and
- delivering the fluid to a target site,
- wherein the viscosity adjuster's at least two non-overlapping projections are located at the same point along the central lumen's longitudinal axis and define at least one constricted flow orifice perpendicular to the central lumen's longitudinal axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.