Emory University

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Laurence A Harker

Stephen R Hanson

Spencer B King, Iii

Neal A Scott

Masao Yafuso

A device for the local delivery of a substance into a natural tissue conduit in the mammalian body. The device has a substance delivery segment which provides a means for locally delivering a substance into the boundary layer of fluid flowing through the conduit without disrupting the fluid flow therethrough. For example, an indwelling catheter is provided for endovascular delivery of a substance locally to a targeted treatment area. Also provided are methods of locally delivering a substance into a natural tissue conduit in the mammalian body utilizing the device of the present invention.

Device for local drug delivery and methods for using the same

This invention provides a sheath for encompassing at least a portion of a stent to locally deliver a drug to an arterial wall or lumen into which the stent has been inserted, comprising a polymer and a drug incorporated within the polymer, the polymer sheath encompassing at least a portion of the stent and a thickness to allow controlled release of the drug. Also provided is a method of preventing thrombosis and promoting and inhibiting vascular growth in a subject comprising inserting a stent encompassed by the sheath of the invention into a vessel of the subject.

Stent sheath for local drug delivery

A method for determining the concentration of a constituent of blood employing a sensor in or near a catheter in a blood vessel for producing a signal related to the concentration of the constituent of blood is disclosed. The improvement comprises obtaining the signal while at least one of the following is present in the blood vessel: (1) an added vasodilator component and/or vasodilation promotor in an amount effective to reduce the vasoconstriction caused by the presence of the catheter in the blood vessel and (2) an added platelet/white cell inhibitor component and/or a platelet/white cell deactivation promotor in an amount effective to reduce the platelet and/or white cell activation caused by the presence of the catheter in the blood vessel.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Laurence A Harker