摘要:
A method of treating chronic post-myocardial infarction including helical needle transendocardial delivery of autologous bone marrow (ABM) mononuclear cells around regions of hypo or akinesia in chronic post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients. The treatment is safe and improves ejection fraction (EF).
摘要:
A method of treating the intraluminal disease in a coronary artery by injecting therapeutic agents perivascularly into the myocardium near the site of disease.
摘要:
A system is disclosed, for administering a therapeutic agent locally and to a depth within cardiac tissue. An elongate, flexible catheter contains a flexible electric conductor and supports at its distal end an implantable electrode incorporating a penetrating element, typically a fixation helix or a linear needle that penetrates cardiac tissue as the electrode is implanted. A therapeutic agent is delivered through the electrode, to the cardiac tissue surrounding the penetrating element. The electrode can act as a sensor, to monitor an electrical condition of the surrounding cardiac tissue, and to control delivery of the agent responsive to the sensed electrical condition. Several embodiments feature a distal reservoir adjacent the electrode for effecting transient deliveries of the therapeutic agent in minute quantities. Other embodiments are disclosed for providing sustained deliveries of the agents.
摘要:
A system and method for delivering a drug to a target site within a patient's body. The system and method include a steerable guide catheter and a drug delivery catheter. The steerable guide catheter has a first extension tube and a second extension tube that are joined together and form a shoulder. The delivery catheter has a distal docking segment and a proximal docking segment. The guide catheter is inserted into the patient's body, then the delivery catheter is inserted into the guide catheter. The distal docking segment engages the first extension tube, the proximal docking segment engages the second extension tube, and the shoulder limits the distance the delivery catheter can be inserted into the guide catheter. Also, once the delivery catheter is inserted it can be rotated to attach the helical tip to the target site. The guide catheter also includes a steering mechanism as well as a friction mechanism which controls the tension on the steering mechanism. The delivery catheter also includes two luer fittings, each having its own lumen.
摘要:
Catheter systems and methods for implanting helical or dart-like implants into the myocardium or other body tissue. The catheter system includes a helix for fixing the distal end of the catheter to the myocardium, an implant held by the helix, mechanisms for driving the fixation helix into the myocardium, and mechanisms for driving the implant into the myocardium, removing the fixation helix and leaving the implant behind. The implant may be coated, filled, or made of a drug or drug eluting compound, or drug delivery matrix of any composition.
摘要:
An implantable devices for the effective elimination of an arrhythmogenic site from the myocardium is presented. By inserting small biocompatible conductors and/or insulators into the heart tissue at the arrhythmogenic site, it is possible to effectively eliminate a portion of the tissue from the electric field and current paths within the heart. The device would act as an alternative to the standard techniques for the removal of tissue from the effective contribution to the hearts electrical action which require the destruction of tissue via energy transfer (RF, microwave, cryogenic, etc.). This device is a significant improvement in the state of the art in that it does not require tissue necrosis. In one preferred embodiment the device is a non conductive helix that is permanently implanted into the heart wall around the arrhythmogenic site. In variations on the embodiment, the structure is wholly or partially conductive, the structure is used as an implantable substrate for anti arrhythmic, inflammatory, or angiogenic pharmacological agents, and the structure is deliverable by a catheter with a disengaging stylet. In other preferred embodiments that may incorporate the same variations, the device is a straight or curved stake, or a group of such stakes that are inserted simultaneously.
摘要:
A pulse generator circuit and method for using a defibrillation lead positioned close to the right ventricular apex to optimize energy delivery and sensing. This method includes operating a defibrillator-pacemaker system in a true bipolar sensing mode as long as high voltage therapy is not required. When required, the defibrillator-pacemaker system delivers a first high voltage therapy via an RV defibrillation electrode, and, using true bipolar sensing, determines whether the first high voltage therapy was successful. If the first high voltage therapy is deemed to be successful, then true bipolar sensing is resumed. Otherwise, the defibrillator-pacemaker system causes a ring electrode to be electrically connected to the RV defibrillation electrode, delivers a second high voltage therapy, and, using integrated bipolar sensing determines whether the second high voltage therapy was successful. In this way, because no new circuit elements are added within the lead, the lead size and complexity are not increased.
摘要:
A method for expanding mesenchymal cells derived from autologous bone marrow in autologous culture medium which can be used in a clinical setting, and a business method for performing such expansions in the future as a service for patients. A method for expanding mesenchymal cells derived from autologous bone marrow in autologous culture medium including a diagnostic kit for the autologous cell therapy to determine whether a patient will respond to the autologous cell therapy for treatment of a disease, in which said kit comprising a system for detecting gene and protein expression comprising at least two isolated DNA molecules wherein each isolated DNA molecule detects expression of a gene that is differentially expressed in the tissue of the patient that is intended to be the source of the autologous cell therapy.
摘要:
Catheter-based systems are disclosed for geometrically and temporally controlled deliveries of fluid agents to the heart. Each system includes an elongate catheter shaft, a tissue penetration element at the shaft distal end, and a handle at the shaft proximal end for manipulating the penetrating element. The penetrating element and a proximate conductive coil provide bipolar sensing electrodes. One version of the system includes a fluid lumen through the penetrating element and a contrast fluid lumen open at the catheter shaft distal end. In other versions, the penetrating element contains two fluid lumens. These systems facilitate tissue mapping and therapeutic agent delivery protocols in which several agents can be simultaneously delivered at a depth within heart tissue, prevented from intermingling until they reach the tissue. Treatment and contrast agents can be delivered simultaneously or temporally spaced, directed to the same region or to different regions separated by intervening tissue.
摘要:
Devices and methods for testing a pulmonary vein to determine whether or not ablation would be effective in terminating atrial fibrillation. The devices and methods include a catheter having an expandable balloon attached to the distal end of the catheter. The balloon has pores on the distal end of the balloon for administering a fluid into the target pulmonary vein. The fluid inhibits the electrical impulses generated by the target pulmonary vein. Once the electrical impulses of the target pulmonary vein have been inhibited it can be determined whether or not the atrial fibrillation continues to occur. If the atrial fibrillation has been eliminated, then ablation or other therapy is appropriate. Thus, the devices and methods limit unnecessary treatment of a pulmonary vein.