Catheter, fluid conveying method, and percutaneous procedure

An infusion catheter comprising:

• an elongate catheter body defining a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal catheter end and a distal catheter end, the elongate catheter body further including an inner surface defining a fluid lumen opening at the proximal catheter end, and an outer surface;
• the outer surface having a non-uniform contour relative to the longitudinal center axis and including a plurality of maximum surface elevation points and a plurality of minimum surface elevation points defining a non-uniform elevation profile, the outer surface further including a plurality of porous surface areas in fluid communication with the fluid lumen and a plurality of nonporous surface areas defining a non-uniform porosity profile;
• and
• the outer surface further having a fluid transfer interface which includes the plurality of minimum surface elevation points and the plurality of porous surface areas, for transferring a fluid from the fluid lumen into an intraluminal space in a patient, and a tissue contact interface which includes the plurality of maximum surface elevation points and the plurality of nonporous surface areas, for inhibiting external occlusion of the fluid transfer interface during transferring the fluid;
• the fluid transfer interface including a discontinuous interface having a plurality of separate fluid transfer regions, and the tissue contact interface including a discontinuous interface having a plurality of separate tissue contact regions in an alternating arrangement with the plurality of separate fluid transfer regions;
• the catheter further having a proximal catheter segment and a distal catheter segment, the fluid transfer interface and the tissue contact interface being located within the distal catheter segment, and the inner surface being fluid impermeable within the proximal catheter segment, and fluid permeable within the distal catheter segment by way of the fluid transfer interface;
• wherein the outer surface further includes a plurality of normally open effluent ports located within each of the plurality of fluid transfer regions and communicating between the inner and outer surfaces, and wherein the fluid lumen includes a central primary lumen and the inner surface further defines a plurality of radially outward secondary lumens fluidly connected with the primary lumen;
• and
• wherein the plurality of fluid transfer regions and corresponding effluent ports are within a plurality of grooves formed in the elongate catheter body, and the plurality of effluent ports includes a first set of effluent ports within each groove opening within one of the plurality of secondary lumens, and a second set of effluent ports within each groove opening within the primary lumen, and wherein each of the grooves tapers from a narrower width at a radially inward location where the fluid is transferred into the groove from the corresponding first set of effluent ports to a greater width at a radially outward location where the fluid exits the groove for infusion.

An infusion catheter comprising:

• an elongate catheter body defining a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal catheter end and a distal catheter end, the elongate catheter body further including an inner surface defining a fluid lumen opening at the proximal catheter end, and an outer surface;
• the outer surface having a non-uniform contour relative to the longitudinal center axis and including a plurality of maximum surface elevation points and a plurality of minimum surface elevation points defining a non-uniform elevation profile, the outer surface further including a plurality of porous surface areas in fluid communication with the fluid lumen and a plurality of nonporous surface areas defining a non-uniform porosity profile;
• the outer surface further having a fluid transfer interface which includes the plurality of minimum surface elevation points and the plurality of porous surface areas, for transferring a fluid from the fluid lumen into an intraluminal space in a patient, and a tissue contact interface which includes the plurality of maximum surface elevation points and the plurality of nonporous surface areas, for inhibiting external occlusion of the fluid transfer interface during transferring the fluid;
• the fluid transfer interface including a plurality of normally open effluent ports communicating between the inner and outer surfaces and positioned within a plurality of grooves formed in the elongate catheter body;
• the fluid lumen includes a central primary lumen and the inner surface further defines a plurality of radially outward secondary lumens fluidly connected with the primary lumen;
• the plurality of effluent ports includes a first set of effluent ports within each groove and opening within one of the plurality of secondary lumens, and a second set of effluent ports within each groove and opening within the primary lumen;
• and
• each of the grooves tapers from a narrower width at a radially inward location where the fluid is transferred into the groove from the corresponding first set of effluent ports to a greater width at a radially outward location where the fluid exits the groove for infusion.