Device for Intracorporeal Vascular Exit and Reentry

Reference #:

2005-115

Inventors/Contributors

Paul A. Friedman M.D., Charles J. Bruce M.D., Samuel J. Asirvatham M.D.

Description

Frequently in medical practice there is a need for devices to access tissues that may be difficult to reach. Examples may include: delivery of therapy in the pericardial space outside of the heart (for pacing, defibrillation, placement of medications, or other therapies or energy forms); delivery of treatment for neoplastic or epileptogenic lesions within the brain; or delivery of therapy to neoplastic, infectious or other lesions within the liver or other vascular structures. These are only a few examples of situations in which treatment delivered to difficult to access tissues may be important to treat illness. Common characteristics include the need for pharmacologic, electrical, or other energy modalities to structures that may be difficult to access surgically, or that may be surrounded by delicate, vulnerable or critical tissues, organs or structures, the damage of which may lead to death or significant morbidity. Access to the target tissues in these situations may ideally be accomplished by a hybrid approach, in which the venous or arterial vasculature is used to gain moderate proximity to the desired target. Subsequently, the vasculature is exited by penetrating the vascular wall, and a therapeutic device advanced to the precise desired location. This approach minimizes the trauma of surgical access to the site by gaining proximity to the target via the vasculature. Once the therapeutic tools are delivered to the target tissues, in some situations, the tools will be completely retracted, whereas in others a tool or device (such as a pacing lead) may be left in place. In either scenario, there is a need to insure intra-corporeal vascular closure, so that bleeding does not occur or develop from the vessel into the neighboring structures. This invention describes such a device. The vessel used may be arterial venous, or any other analogous structure in the body (such as intestine, ureter, etc.).

Patent Status

None