Systems and methods for delivering drugs to selected locations within the body

Abstract

A transvascular system for delivering a drug to a tissue region from a blood vessel, such as a coronary vein, includes a catheter having a distal portion with puncturing, orientation, drug delivery, and imaging elements. The puncturing element is deployable for penetrating the vessel wall to access the tissue region. The orientation element, e.g. a “cage” including a plurality of struts and/or a radiopaque marker, has a predetermined relationship with the puncturing element, the imaging element detecting the location of the orientation element with respect to the tissue region to orient the puncturing element. The catheter is percutaneously introducing into the vessel, the puncturing element is oriented towards the tissue region, the puncturing element is deployed to access the tissue region, and the drug is delivered to the tissue region. An ablation device may also be deployed to create a cavity in the tissue region for receiving the drug therein, or an indwelling catheter may be advanced into and left in the tissue region. An implantable reservoir device is also disclosed, including an enclosed membrane on an expandable frame that defines a reservoir and includes a porous region. The reservoir device may be deployed and expanded within a blood vessel, and may be filled in situ or prefilled with a drug that passes through the porous region. Alternatively, a pair of expandable endovascular blockers may be used to isolate a section of a blood vessel which may be filled with a drug that may be absorbed by the surrounding tissue.