Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for taking a liquid or tissue bodily sample from a desired location along a blood vessel of a patient and collecting said sample outside the body to facilitate treatment of the patient, comprising: providing a sampling probe in the form of an elongate vascular catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located in the blood vessel during use, said distal portion including an expandable member that can be selectively expanded to larger diameter and contracted to smaller diameter, said expandable member including a membrane thereon with openings that communicate with a source of suction force controllable from the proximal portion that remains outside the body, positioning said expandable portion at a desired location within said blood vessel, taking said sample by exposing said membrane by expanding said expandable portion to place said membrane in proximity with the wall of said blood vessel so that said liquid or tissue bodily sample is received by said membrane, contracting said expandable portion to said smaller diameter, removing said catheter from said patient, and collecting said sample outside the body.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for taking a liquid or tissue bodily sample from a desired location along a blood vessel of a patient and collecting said sample outside the body to facilitate treatment of the patient, comprising: providing a sampling probe in the form of an elongate vascular catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located in the blood vessel during use, said distal portion including an expandable member that can be selectively expanded to larger diameter and contracted to smaller diameter, said expandable member including a membrane thereon with openings that communicate with a source of suction force controllable from the proximal portion that remains outside the body, positioning said expandable portion at a desired location within said blood vessel, taking said sample by exposing said membrane by expanding said expandable portion to place said membrane in proximity with the wall of said blood vessel so that said liquid or tissue bodily sample is received by said membrane, contracting said expandable portion to said smaller diameter, removing said catheter from said patient, and collecting said sample outside the body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 including drawing said sample to the surface of said membrane by suction forces.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 comprising drawing said sample with said suction forces through said membrane into a storage space.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
23 words
The method of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 comprising: removing said sample by flushing force back out through said openings.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
24 words
The method of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 comprising: expanding said expandable portion to contact said membrane with said vessel wall.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
39 words
The method of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 comprising: moving said catheter axially while said membrane is in contact with said wall of said vessel to brush said membrane along said wall to collect said sample.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
40 words
The method of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 comprising: providing a probe in the form of an angioplasty catheter having an expandable portion in the form of an inflatable balloon, said membrane being disposed over said balloon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 7 comprising: positioning said expandable portion adjacent an occlusion in said vessel, simultaneously expanding said occlusion, and collecting said sample by expanding said expandable portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 7 comprising: performing angioplasty on an occluded region of said blood vessel, positioning said expandable portion at said region at said region after said angioplasty, and collecting said sample from said region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
158 words
A kit for treating a patient by collecting a liquid or tissue sample from a blood vessel of the patient that can be analyzed to determine physiological function, comprising: a sampling probe in the form of an elongate vascular catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located in the blood vessel, said distal portion including an expandable member that can be selectively expanded to larger diameters and contracted to smaller diameter, said expandable member including a membrane on at least a part of an outside surface of said expandable member, said membrane including openings that may receive said liquid or tissue sample and which communicate a suction device, controllable from proximal portions outside the body, for creating a suction force through said openings to draw bodily sample into said storage space, and apparatus for facilitating collection and analysis of said sample outside the body to determine physiological function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
158 words
A kit for treating a patient by collecting a liquid or tissue sample from a blood vessel of the patient that can be analyzed to determine physiological function, comprising: a sampling probe in the form of an elongate vascular catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located in the blood vessel, said distal portion including an expandable member that can be selectively expanded to larger diameters and contracted to smaller diameter, said expandable member including a membrane on at least a part of an outside surface of said expandable member, said membrane including openings that may receive said liquid or tissue sample and which communicate a suction device, controllable from proximal portions outside the body, for creating a suction force through said openings to draw bodily sample into said storage space, and apparatus for facilitating collection and analysis of said sample outside the body to determine physiological function.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for taking a liquid or tissue bodily sample from deep within the body of a patient and collecting said sample outside the body to facilitate treatment of the patient, comprising: providing a sampling probe in the form of an elongate catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located within the body, said distal portion including an expandable member that can be selectively expanded to larger diameters and contracted to smaller diameter, said expandable member including a membrane on at least a part of an outside surface of said expandable member, said membrane including openings that communicate with a suction device, controllable from proximal portions outside the body, positioning said catheter within the body, taking said liquid or tissue sample by expanding said expandable member to place said membrane in proximity to a desired location so that said bodily sample is received by said membrane, removing said catheter from said patient, and collecting said sample outside the body.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
169 words
A method for taking a liquid or tissue bodily sample from deep within the body of a patient and collecting said sample outside the body to facilitate treatment of the patient, comprising: providing a sampling probe in the form of an elongate catheter having a proximal portion that remains outside the body and a distal portion that can be located within the body, said distal portion including an expandable member that can be selectively expanded to larger diameters and contracted to smaller diameter, said expandable member including a membrane on at least a part of an outside surface of said expandable member, said membrane including openings that communicate with a suction device, controllable from proximal portions outside the body, positioning said catheter within the body, taking said liquid or tissue sample by expanding said expandable member to place said membrane in proximity to a desired location so that said bodily sample is received by said membrane, removing said catheter from said patient, and collecting said sample outside the body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 11 including taking said sample by applying suction forces through said membrane.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 or 11 or the kit of claim 10 wherein said membrane is a balloon wall including a series of lumens that communicate with openings on the outer surface of the balloon and with a lumen extending through the catheter to its proximal portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 or 11 or the kit of claim 10 wherein said openings are size-selected to receive fluid and reject cell-size material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 or 11 or the kit of claim 10 wherein said openings are sized to receive cell samples.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 or 10 further comprising receiving cell samples, and further comprising culturing said cells outside of the body and placing said cultured cells into the body.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising genetically altering said cells before placing them in the body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 17 comprising placing said cells back in the body by placing them on said membrane outside the body, delivering said probe into the body, expanding said expandable portion to place said membrane in proximity with the wall of a blood vessel, and releasing said cells from said membrane.