Temporary stenting catheter with drug delivery capabilities

Claim 1

An intravascular catheter for maintaining the patency of an arterial vasculature for an extended period and for delivering a therapeutic drug to the artery, the catheter comprising: a) a catheter body having a first inner lumen, a second inner lumen, and a third inner lumen extending from a proximal guidewire port to a distal guidewire port which is adapted to receive a guidewire therein; b) an expandable region formed of a plurality of hypotubes each having a lumen, a proximal end, a distal end and at least one surface aperture, said lumen of said hypotubes sealed at said distal end thereof and open at said proximal end thereof in fluid communication with said first inner lumen of said catheter body, said proximal end of said hypotubes attached to a distal end of said catheter body, said distal end of said hypotubes arranged with a passageway between said hypotubes for the passage of said guidewire therethrough; c) a flexible tubular guide element extending through said expandable region and having an interior in communication with said third inner lumen of said catheter body and adapted to receive said guidewire therein; d) a control wire disposed within said second inner lumen of said catheter body having a distal end attached to said distal end of said hypotubes and having means on a proximal end of said catheter body to move said control wire axially for adjusting the axial distance between said proximal and distal ends of said hypotubes thereby adjusting the radial dimension of said expandable region; and f) a port near said proximal end of said catheter body in fluid communication with said first inner lumen of said catheter body for introducing the therapeutic drug into said lumen of said hypotubes for delivery of the drug to the artery through said apertures in said hypotubes.

Claim 15

A method for repairing an arterial vasculature having an occluded or partially occluded portion, comprising: a) providing a catheter having i) a catheter body having a first inner lumen, a second inner lumen, and a third inner lumen extending from a proximal guidewire port to a distal guidewire port which is adapted to receive a guidewire therein, said guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end; iii) an expandable region formed of a plurality of hypotubes each having a lumen, a proximal end, a distal end and at least one surface aperture, said lumen of said hypotubes closed at said distal end thereof and open at said proximal end thereof in fluid communication with said first inner lumen of said catheter body, said proximal end of said hypotubes attached to a distal end of said catheter body, said distal end of said hypotubes arranged to form a passageway between said hypotubes for the passage of said guidewire therethrough; iv) a flexible tubular guide element extending through said expandable region and having an interior in communication with said third inner lumen of said catheter body and adapted to receive said guidewire therein; v) a control wire disposed within said second inner lumen of said catheter body having a distal end attached to said distal end of said hypotubes and having control means on a proximal end of said catheter body to move said control wire axially so as to adjust the axial distance between said proximal and distal ends of said hypotubes forming said expandable region and thereby adjusting the radial dimension of said expandable region; and vi) a port near said proximal end of said catheter body in fluid communication with said first inner lumen of said catheter body for introducing a therapeutic drug into said lumen of said hypotubes for delivery of the drug to said artery via said apertures in said hypotubes; b) advancing said guidewire through said passageway provided between said hypotubes, through said flexible tubular guiding element within said expandable region, through said third inner lumen of said catheter body, and out said proximal guidewire port; c) positioning said distal end of said guidewire in the arterial vasculature across the site of the occlusion; d) advancing said catheter body over said guidewire until said expandable region is positioned across the site of the occlusion; e) manipulating said control means to move said control wire proximally thereby expanding said expandable region; and f) introducing the therapeutic drug through said apertures in said hypotubes so that said therapeutic drug is delivered to the site of the occlusion.

Claim 16

A method for repairing an arterial vasculature having an occluded or partially occluded portion, comprising: a) providing a catheter having i) a catheter body having a first inner lumen, a second inner lumen, and a third inner lumen extending from a proximal guidewire port to a distal guidewire port which is adapted to receive a guidewire therein, said guidewire having a proximal end and a distal end; iii) an expandable region formed of a plurality of hypotubes each having a lumen, a proximal end, a distal end and at least one surface aperture, said lumen of said hypotubes closed at said distal end thereof and open at said proximal end thereof in fluid communication with said first inner lumen of said catheter body, said proximal end of said hypotubes attached to a distal end of said catheter body, said distal end of said hypotubes arranged to form a passageway between said hypotubes for the passage of said guidewire therethrough; iv) a flexible tubular guide element extending through said expandable region and having an interior in communication with said third inner lumen of said catheter body and adapted to receive said guidewire therein; v) a control wire disposed within said second inner lumen of said catheter body having a distal end attached to said distal end of said hypotubes and having control means on a proximal end of said catheter body to move said control wire axially so as to adjust the axial distance between said proximal and distal ends of said hypotubes forming said expandable region and thereby adjusting the radial dimension of said expandable region; and vi) a port near said proximal end of said catheter body in fluid communication with said first inner lumen of said catheter body for introducing a therapeutic drug into said lumen of said hypotubes for delivery of the drug to said artery via said apertures in said hypotubes; b) advancing said guidewire through said passageway provided between said hypotubes, through said flexible tubular guiding element within said expandable region, through said third inner lumen of said catheter body, and out said proximal guidewire port; c) positioning said distal end of said guidewire in the arterial vasculature across the site of the occlusion; d) advancing said catheter body over said guidewire until said expandable region is positioned across the site of the occlusion; e) manipulating said control means to move said control wire proximally thereby expanding said expandable region; and f) introducing the therapeutic drug through said apertures in said hypotubes so that said therapeutic drug is delivered to the site of the occlusion.