Drug supply device

Abstract

A drug supply device for supplying drug to a living body surface that includes a shaft and a drug holding sheet attached to the distal end of the shaft. The drug holding sheet has a first face that faces distally and a second face opposite the first face that faces proximally when the drug holding sheet is expanded. The drug holding sheet includes folded portions that fold such that the first face is positioned to face radially inward while exposing the second face to an outside environment when the drug holding sheet is in a folded state. A drug is applied on the first face of the drug holding sheet. The drug supply device includes an expandable member on the second face of the drug holding sheet. The expandable member is expandable to cause the drug holding sheet to expand from the folded state into the expanded state.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 introducing a drug holding sheet into a living body, the drug holding sheet being connected to a distal end of an elongated shaft so that movement of the elongated shaft results in movement of the drug holding sheet, the drug holding sheet including a first surface on which is located a drug, the drug holding sheet also including a second surface opposite the first surface of the drug holding sheet, the drug holding sheet being expandable from a folded state toward an expanded state and being foldable from the expanded state to the folded state, the first surface facing in a distal direction when the drug holding sheet is in the expanded state and the second surface facing in a proximal direction when the drug holding sheet is in the expanded state;   the introducing of the drug holding sheet into the living body including introducing the drug holding sheet into the living body while the drug holding sheet is in the folded state in which parts of the first surface of the drug holding sheet on which the drug is located directly face one another;   moving the drug holding sheet within the living body to position the drug holding sheet adjacent a treatment site within the living body, the moving of the drug holding sheet within the living body occurring while the drug holding sheet is in the folded state;   unfolding the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state when the drug holding sheet is positioned within the living body, the unfolding of the drug holding sheet causing the parts of the first surface of the drug holding sheet on which the drug is located to directly face the treatment site;   applying the drug on the first surface of the drug holding sheet to the treatment site by moving the first surface of the drug holding sheet into contact with the treatment site while the drug holding sheet is in the expanded state; and   removing the drug holding sheet from the living body after the applying of the drug on the first surface of the drug holding sheet to the treatment site.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising folding the drug holding sheet so that the drug holding sheet is changed to the folded state in which the parts of the first face directly face one another, the folding of the drug holding sheet occurring after the applying of the drug on the first surface of the drug holding sheet to the treatment site and before the removing of the drug holding sheet from the living body. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the unfolding of the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state comprises inflating a balloon connected to the drug holding sheet. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the unfolding of the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state comprises inflating a plurality of spaced apart balloons connected to the drug holding sheet and positioned on the second face of the drug holding sheet. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first surface extends substantially perpendicularly to the elongated shaft when the drug holding sheet is expanded into the expanded state. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 introducing a drug holding sheet into a living body, the drug holding sheet being connected to a distal end of an elongated shaft so that movement of the elongated shaft results in movement of the drug holding sheet, the drug holding sheet including a first face on which is located a drug, the drug holding sheet also including a second face opposite the first face of the drug holding sheet, the drug holding sheet being changeable between a folded state and an expanded state, the first face facing in a distal direction when the drug holding sheet is in the expanded state and the second face facing in a proximal direction when the drug holding sheet is in the expanded state;   the introducing of the drug holding sheet into the living body including introducing the drug holding sheet into the living body while the drug holding sheet is in the folded state in which parts of the first face on which the drug is located directly face one another;   moving the drug holding sheet within the living body to position the drug holding sheet adjacent a treatment site within the living body, the moving of the drug holding sheet within the living body occurring while the drug holding sheet is in the folded state;   unfolding the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state when the drug holding sheet is positioned within the living body, the unfolding of the drug holding sheet causing the first side of the drug holding sheet to directly face the treatment site; and   moving the first face of the drug holding sheet into contact with the treatment site within the living body while the drug holding sheet is in the expanded state to apply the drug on the first face of the drug holding sheet to the treatment site.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the unfolding of the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state comprises inflating a balloon connected to the drug holding sheet. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the unfolding of the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state comprises inflating a plurality of spaced apart balloons connected to the drug holding sheet and positioned on the second face of the drug holding sheet. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the unfolding of the drug holding sheet from the folded state toward the expanded state comprises inflating a plurality of balloons that each possesses an elongated linear shape and that each possess a longitudinal extent that intersects the center of the drug holding sheet. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , further comprising folding the drug holding sheet so that the drug holding sheet is changed to the folded state in which the parts of the first face directly face one another, the folding of the drug holding sheet occurring after the drug on the first face of the drug holding sheet is applied to the treatment site. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising removing the drug supply device from the living body while the drug holding sheet remains in the folded state. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the drug holding sheet is positioned in a sheath during the introducing of the drug holding sheet into the living body. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising moving the drug holding sheet distally relative to the sheath to position the drug holding sheet outside the sheath, the moving of the drug holding sheet distally relative to the sheath occurring after the introducing of the drug holding sheet into the living body. 
     
     
         14 . A method comprising:
 moving a drug supply device within a living body, the drug supply device comprising a drug holding sheet which has a first face and a second face opposite the first face, the first face of the drug holding sheet being coated with a drug, the drug holding sheet being folded throughout the moving of the drug supply device within the living body so that the first face of the drug holding sheet does not contact the living body;   positioning the drug holding sheet of the drug supply device adjacent a treatment site within the living body;   unfolding the drug holding sheet when the drug holding sheet is positioned adjacent the treatment site within the living body, the unfolding of the drug holding sheet causing the first face of the drug holding sheet to directly face the treatment site; and   applying the drug on the first face of the drug holding sheet to the treatment site within the living body by contacting the treatment site with the drug holding sheet.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 after the applying of the drug to the treatment site, folding the drug holding sheet so that the first face of the drug holding sheet is again not exposed to the living body; and   withdrawing the drug supply device from the living body while the drug holding sheet remains folded.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the drug supply device is held within a sheath during the moving of the drug supply device within the living body. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising moving the drug holding sheet distally relative to the sheath to position the drug holding sheet outside the sheath after the moving of the drug supply device within the living body. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the drug supply device further comprises an elongated shaft to which the drug holding sheet is connected, the elongated shaft including a lumen that includes open opposite ends, the method further comprising introducing an endoscope or an image diagnosis device into the lumen of the elongated shaft, and observing an environment distal of a distal end of the elongated shaft through operation of the endoscope or the image diagnosis device while the drug supply device is in the living body. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the drug holding sheet in an expanded state is a quadrangle when seen in plan view. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the drug holding sheet includes a center that is attached to a shaft, the drug holding sheet including a plurality of fold lines along which drug holding sheet is folded, the plurality of fold lines intersecting the center of the drug holding sheet.