The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 25, 2005
Filed:
Jan. 07, 2003
Inflatable balloon catheter structural designs and methods for treating diseased tissue of a patient
Fred Sterzer, Lawrence Township, Mercer County, NJ (US);
Daniel D. Mawhinney, Livingston, NJ (US);
Fred Sterzer, Lawrence Township, Mercer County, NJ (US);
Daniel D. Mawhinney, Livingston, NJ (US);
MMTC, INC, Princeton, NJ (US);
Abstract
Each of various modifications of an integrated-structure inflatable balloon catheter design includes a longitudinal structure having a sharply-pointed insertion needle at a distal end of the longitudinal structure and an inflatable balloon situated intermediate a proximate end and the distal end of the longitudinal structure which is attached to said longitudinal structure. With the inflatable balloon in a deflated state, the insertion needle may be used to puncture the patient's skin and underlying sub-cutaneous tissue and place the deflated balloon in proximity to the diseased sub-cutaneous tissue, The balloon is then inflated to press against and thereby spatially deform the diseased sub-cutaneous tissue, after which the deformed diseased sub-cutaneous tissue may be therapeutically heated. This heating may be sufficient to cause the creation of a permanent cavity in the deformed diseased sub-cutaneous tissue which persists after the catheter is withdrawn. This permits any selected one of various therapeutic substances to be introduced into this a permanent cavity. One modification employs a balloon having a selected non-uniform, odd pattern shape which, when inflated, cooperates with the shape of the diseased sub-cutaneous tissue. This one modification also may be beneficially used in prostate-treating balloon catheters, which do not have a sharply-pointed insertion needle at the distal end thereof.