Apparatus and processes for applying substances within mammalian tissue

Abstract

An apparatus for applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue is provided. The apparatus includes a member having a flexible, absorbent, porous portion connected to a non-porous portion. The apparatus may be used to treat atrial fibrillation or other non-atrial fibrillation issues with internal mammalian tissue.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue, the method comprising:
 deploying a member within a mammal;   disposing a flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the member against internal tissue of the mammal; and   infusing a substance, disposed in a cavity between the flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the member and a non-porous portion of the member, through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion to contact the internal mammalian tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the member is a balloon-catheter comprising a balloon attached to a catheter. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the deploying comprises delivering the balloon towards the internal mammalian tissue, with the balloon stowed in an unexpanded state within a sheath, by following a lumen of the balloon along a guide-wire. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the deploying further comprises pushing the catheter to move the balloon outside the sheath towards the internal mammalian tissue. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the disposing comprises pushing the catheter until the flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the balloon is disposed against the internal mammalian tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the method is used to treat arrhythmia, the deploying comprises moving the balloon-catheter through a pulmonary vein of the mammal towards an endocardial surface of the left atrium, the disposing comprises disposing the flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the balloon against at least one of pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium, and the infusing comprises infusing the substance through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the balloon into contact with at least one of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising flowing blood from the pulmonary vein through a lumen of the balloon into the left atrium. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the substance alters physiologic properties of the at least one pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the substance is CLASS 1, CLASS 2, CLASS 3, CLASS 4, or any other substance used for treating atrial fibrillation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein disposing comprises attracting and moving a ferromagnetic portion of the balloon towards a magnetized portion of the guide-wire to dispose the flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the balloon against the internal mammalian tissue. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the deploying further comprises moving the balloon outside the sheath towards the internal mammalian tissue, and the infusing the substance comprises expanding the balloon with the substance, the method further comprising: deflating the balloon after the substance has been infused through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion of the balloon into contact with the internal mammalian tissue; retracting the balloon back into the sheath; and removing the sheath and the balloon-catheter from the mammal by following the lumen of the balloon along the guide-wire. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the retracting the balloon back into the sheath comprises moving a stepped-up portion of the guide-wire against a surface of the lumen having a smaller width than the stepped-up portion of the guide-wire to force the balloon back into the sheath. 
     
     
         13 . A method of applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue, the method comprising:
 deploying an apparatus within a mammal;   delivering a member of the apparatus towards the internal mammalian tissue, with the member stowed in an unexpanded state, by following a first lumen;   disposing a porous portion of the member against internal tissue of the mammal;   flowing a fluid originating from the mammal through a second lumen;   delivering a substance into a cavity disposed between the porous portion of the member and a non-porous portion of the member through a third lumen to move the member to an expanded state; and   infusing the substance through the porous portion to contact the internal mammalian tissue.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the member is a balloon-catheter comprising a balloon attached to a catheter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the delivering the member further comprises delivering the member within a sheath when in the unexpanded state by following the first lumen along a guide-wire. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprises moving the member outside the sheath. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method is used to treat arrhythmia, the delivering the member further comprises moving the member through a pulmonary vein of the mammal towards an endocardial surface of the left atrium, the disposing the porous portion further comprises disposing the porous portion of the member against at least one of pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium, and the infusing further comprises infusing the substance through the porous portion of the member into contact with at least one of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein flowing further comprising flowing blood from the pulmonary vein through the second lumen into the left atrium. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the delivering the member further comprises attracting and moving a ferromagnetic portion of the apparatus towards a magnetized portion of the guide-wire to dispose the porous portion of the member against the internal mammalian tissue. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: deflating the member to the unexpanded state after the substance has been infused through the porous portion of the member; retracting the member back into the sheath; and
 removing the sheath and the member from the mammal by following the first lumen along the guide-wire.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the retracting the member further comprises moving a stepped-up portion of the guide-wire against a surface of the first lumen having a smaller width than the stepped-up portion of the guide-wire to force the member back into the sheath. 
     
     
         22 . A method of applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue, the method comprising:
 deploying an apparatus within a mammal;   delivering a member of the apparatus, with a guide-wire, towards the internal mammalian tissue with the member stowed in an unexpanded state;   attracting and moving a ferromagnetic portion of the apparatus towards a magnetized portion of the guide-wire to dispose the porous portion of the member against the internal mammalian tissue;   delivering a substance into a cavity disposed between the porous portion of the member and a non-porous portion of the member through a lumen to move the member to an expanded state; and   infusing the substance through the porous portion to contact the internal mammalian tissue.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the member is a balloon-catheter comprising a balloon attached to a catheter. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delivering the member further comprises delivering the member within a sheath when in the unexpanded state. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprises moving the member outside the sheath. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the method is used to treat arrhythmia, the delivering the member further comprises moving the member through a pulmonary vein of the mammal towards an endocardial surface of the left atrium, the method further comprising disposing the porous portion of the member against at least one of pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium, and the infusing further comprises infusing the substance through the porous portion of the member into contact with at least one of the pulmonary vein ostial tissue or the endocardial surface of the left atrium. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising flowing blood from the pulmonary vein through a second lumen into the left atrium. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: deflating the member to the unexpanded state after the substance has been infused through the porous portion of the member; retracting the member back into the sheath; and removing the sheath and the member from the mammal by following the lumen along the guide-wire. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the retracting the member further comprises moving a stepped-up portion of the guide-wire against a surface of the lumen having a smaller width than the stepped-up portion of the guide-wire to force the member back into the sheath.