Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M25/1002—Balloon catheters characterised by balloon shape
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
  • A61L31/00—Materials for other surgical articles, e.g. stents, stent-grafts, shunts, surgical drapes, guide wires, materials for adhesion prevention, occluding devices, surgical gloves, tissue fixation devices
  • A61L31/14—Materials characterised by their function or physical properties, e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
  • A61L31/146—Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters
  • A61M25/09—Guide wires
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters
  • A61M25/09—Guide wires
  • A61M2025/09175—Guide wires having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M2025/1043—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications
  • A61M2025/1047—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications having centering means, e.g. balloons having an appropriate shape
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M2025/1043—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications
  • A61M2025/105—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications having a balloon suitable for drug delivery, e.g. by using holes for delivery, drug coating or membranes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M2025/1043—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications
  • A61M2025/1084—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications having features for increasing the shape stability, the reproducibility or for limiting expansion, e.g. containments, wrapped around fibres, yarns or strands
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M2025/1043—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications
  • A61M2025/1086—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M2025/1043—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications
  • A61M2025/1088—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications having special surface characteristics depending on material properties or added substances, e.g. for reducing friction
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M2025/1043—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications
  • A61M2025/1097—Balloon catheters with special features or adapted for special applications with perfusion means for enabling blood circulation only while the balloon is in an inflated state, e.g. temporary by-pass within balloon
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/10—Balloon catheters
  • A61M25/104—Balloon catheters used for angioplasty

Definitions

• Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias in the world and is recognized as one of the most serious medical epidemics. Atrial fibrillation is a leading cause of stroke, thromboembolism, mortality, and debilitation. Common debilitating symptoms of atrial fibrillation include but are not limited to palpitations, dyspnea, dizziness, chest pain, weakness, and long term debility associated with stroke and congestive heart failure. There is a large economic burden to society associated with atrial fibrillation including: medical care costs resulting from medical therapy, symptom relief, hospitalizations, and invasive procedure and device therapy; lost time from the workforce; and long term care costs associated with morbidity of stroke, heart failure, and debilitation.
• antiarrhtyhmic drugs have a limited effectiveness in maintaining normal heart rhythm, and have a wide range of toxic systemic side effects. Moreover, antiarrhtyhmic drugs may induce pro-arrhythmia, and have negative drug interactions with other medications.
• Atrial fibrillation commonly reoccurs after electrical cardioversion.
• Another procedure for atrial fibrillation comprises invasive catheter ablation such as: radiofrequency ablation; cryothermy; ultrasound ablation; laser ablation; or electrical ablation.
• Catheter ablation is intended to ablate arrhythmogenic cells in or around the left atrium. The majority of cases are known to originate from the endocardium or myocardium within or around the pulmonary veins. Creating circumferential ablation lesions around pulmonary veins is intended to cause electrical isolation of the abnormal cells within the pulmonary veins, rending these trigger zones unable to propagate abnormal electrical impulses into the left atrium, making them incapable of causing atrial fibrillation.
• An apparatus and process is needed to effectively treat atrial fibrillation, or other types of non-atrial fibrillation issues involving mammalian tissue, while avoiding one or more of the side-effects associated with the current treatments.
• an apparatus for applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue comprises a member having a flexible, absorbent, porous portion connected to a non-porous portion.
• a balloon-catheter for applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue comprises: an inflatable and deflate-able balloon comprising a flexible, absorbent, porous portion connected to a non-porous portion to form a cavity; and a catheter connected to the balloon.
• a guide-wire having a portion for being magnetized, and another portion which is non-magnetic.
• Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment under the disclosure of an apparatus for applying a substance to internal mammalian tissue
• Figure 1 A illustrates a top view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment under the disclosure of a guide-wire
• Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 3 being extended out of the sheath within the mammal;
• Figure 5 illustrates the perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 4 with the apparatus having been inflated.
• Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 6 with the apparatus being deflated
• Figure 8 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 7 with the apparatus beginning to be retracted back into the sheath;
• Figure 9 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 8 with the apparatus further retracted back into the sheath.
• Figure 10 illustrates a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 9 with the apparatus completely retracted back into the sheath.
• FIGs 1 and 1 A illustrate one embodiment under the disclosure of an apparatus 10 for applying a substance 12 to internal mammalian tissue.
• the term 'mammal' comprises a human-being or any type of animal.
• the apparatus 10 includes a member 16 having a flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 connected to a non-porous portion 20.
• the term 'flexible' means bending readily without breaking.
• the term 'absorbent' means a material which has the capacity or tendency to absorb a substance.
• the term 'non-porous' means not permeable to water, or other fluids.
• the member 16 may comprise a medical device.
• the flexible, absorbent, porousportion 18 is absorbent, is porous or partially porous, and will saturate or partially saturate with the substance 12 allowing the substance 12 to pass through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18.
• the term 'porous' means a material having pores which allow fluids to pass through the material.
• the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 is sufficiently soft, malleable, and compliant, such that when gentle pressure is applied by an operator to press it against an endocardial surface during an atrial fibrillation treatment, or other medical treatment, the flexible absorbent portion 18 will compress and be in complete opposition to the endocardial surface filling the crevices of the endocardial surface regardless of any surface irregularities in endocardial surface topography.
• the apparatus 10 may be used to apply the substance 12 to any type of internal mammalian tissue.
• the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 may be made of any flexible, absorbent, saturating material such as foam, synthetic foam, foam rubber, natural sponge, synthetic sponge, synthetic rubber, or other materials that will absorb the substance 12 and will expand when saturated to fully adhere to the surface being treated.
• the non- porous portion 20 may be made of a standard cardiovascular angioplasty balloon material which is non-porous and non-absorbent which will not absorb or extrude the substance 12.
• the member 16 may comprise an inflatable and deflate-able cavity 22 formed between the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 and the non- porous portion 20.
• the member 16 may comprise a balloon-catheter comprising an inflatable and deflate-able balloon 24 connected to a catheter 26.
• the flexible, porous, absorbent portion 18 may comprise the top-half of the balloon 24, and the non-porous portion 20 may comprise the bottom-half of the balloon 24.
• the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 and the non-porous portion 20 may vary in shape, size, orientation, configuration, or relation to one another.
• the member 16 may include a nipple 28 extending from a top end 30 of the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18.
• a tapered hole 29 may extend through the nipple 28.
• the tapered hole 29 may end at a base surface 31 of the nipple 28.
• the member 16 may comprise first, second, and third lumens 32, 34, and 36.
• the catheter 26 may comprise first and second catheter lumens 37 and 39.
• the first lumen 32 may comprise an open-ended, through-lumen which extends continuously from and through the nipple 28 in the top end 30 of the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18, through the cavity 22 of the member 16, to and through a bottom end 38 of the non- porous portion 20.
• the first lumen 32 may be aligned with the first catheter lumen 37 of the catheter 26 to form a continuous through-lumen.
• the first lumen 32 may extend along and through a long axis 42 of the member 16.
• the first lumen 32 may have a width 44. In other embodiments, there may be any number of first lumen 32 of varying shape, size, configuration, or orientation.
• the second lumen 34 may comprise two, spaced-apart, open-ended, through lumens which extend
• the second lumen 34 may extend from the non-porous portion 20 of the member 16 through the nipple 28 of the top end 30 of the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 of the member 16. As shown in Figure 1A, the second lumen 34 may be crescent- shaped. In other embodiments, there may be any number of second lumen 34 of varying shapes, sizes, configurations, or orientations.
• the third lumen 36 may comprise a closed-end lumen extending from the second catheter lumen 39 into the closed-end, inflatable and deflate-able cavity 22.
• third lumen 36 there may be any number of third lumen 36 of varying shape, size, configuration, or orientation.
• the member 16 may further comprise a ferromagnetic portion 48 which may be disposed in the nipple 28, in the base surface 31 of the nipple 28, or in any other portion of the member 16. In other embodiments, the ferromagnetic portion 48 may be disposed in varying portions of the member 16.
• the member 16 may optionally include one or more Nitinol runners 49 that are connected between the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 and the catheter 26. In other embodiments, the member 16, including all of its components, may be of a varying shape, size, configuration, or orientation.
• Figure 2 illustrates one embodiment under the disclosure of a guide-wire 50.
• the guide-wire may 50 have a diameter of 0.025 inches, 0.035 inches, or 0.038 inches. In other embodiments, the size of the guide-wire 50 may vary.
• the guide- wire 50 may have a stepped-up portion 52 which has a width 54 which is greater than widths 56 of other portions 58 of the guide-wire 50.
• the width 54 of the stepped-up portion 52 may also be greater than a width 44 of the first lumen 32 of the member 16 shown in Figures 1 and 1A.
• the guide-wire 50 may also have a portion 60 having an electromagnet or any other mechanism or material with magnetic capability for being magnetized by magnetic inducing apparatus known in the art.
• the portion 60 may comprise the stepped-up portion 52. In other embodiments, the portion 60 may be different than the stepped-up portion 52.
• the portion 60 for being magnetized may comprise a ferromagnetic core with a surrounding wire coil, helical arrangement, solenoid, corkscrew arrangement, or other configuration for being magnetized.
• an electric current is applied to the magnetic portion 60, such as by hooking up ends 61 and 63 of the portion 60 to a device supplying positive and negative charges, an electromagnetic field will be created in order to attract or repulse the ferromagnetic portion 48 of the member 16 relative to the magnetic portion 60.
• the magnetic portion 60 of the guide-wire 50 may be used to control precise movement of the member 16 when disposed within a pulmonary vein or other tissue of a mammal.
• the strength of the attraction or repulse may be controlled by the strength of the electrical current applied.
• the guide-wire 50 may also have another portion 62 which is non-magnetic.
• Portion 62 may comprise an insulating, non-magnetic material covering most of portion 60.
• portion 62 may cover the entire portion 60 with the exception of at the ends 61 and 63, and at the stepped-up portion 52. In other embodiments, the portion 62 may cover varying segments of portion 60 in varying shapes, sizes, orientations, or configurations.
• the apparatus 10 may be deployed within the mammal.
• the apparatus 10 may comprise a member 16 comprising a balloon-catheter comprising an inflatable and deflate-able balloon 24 connected to the catheter 26.
• the member 16 may be deployed by inserting a guide-wire 50 from across an interatrial septum into a pulmonary vein 76 of the mammal, such as the left superior pulmonary vein, the left inferior pulmonary vein, the right superior pulmonary vein, or the right inferior pulmonary vein.
• a stepped-up portion 52 of the guide-wire 50 may be inserted into a hole 75 of the left atrium 74 and extended into a pulmonary vein ostium 78 of the pulmonary vein 76.
• the balloon 24 may be delivered towards the internal mammalian tissue 64, with the balloon 24 partially stowed in an unexpanded/deflated stated within a sheath 68, by following the first lumen 32 of the balloon 24 along the guide-wire 50 disposed in the pulmonary vein 76.
• the mammal may be adequately anticoagulated with systemic medications including but not limited to unfractionated heparin, warfarin, low-molecular weight heparin, direct-thrombin inhibitor, glycoprotein 2b/3a antagonists, aspirin, clopidogrel, prasugrel, thrombolytic agents, or other types of anticoagulation medications.
• systemic medications including but not limited to unfractionated heparin, warfarin, low-molecular weight heparin, direct-thrombin inhibitor, glycoprotein 2b/3a antagonists, aspirin, clopidogrel, prasugrel, thrombolytic agents, or other types of anticoagulation medications.
• the nipple 28 of the balloon 24 may be extended into the hole 75 of the left atrium 74 and extended into the pulmonary vein ostium 78 of the pulmonary vein 76 to come to a resting location disposed apart from the stepped-up portion 52 of the guide-wire 50.
• the nipple 28 may be sized to fit snugly against the hole 75 of the left atrium 74 to assist in securing the balloon 24 in place.
• the sheath 68 may be pulled away from the internal mammalian tissue 64 and the catheter 26 may be pushed towards the internal mammalian tissue 64 to move the remaining portion of the deflated balloon 24 outside the sheath 68 towards the internal mammalian tissue
• the internal mammalian tissue 64 to be treated may comprise pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or an endocardial surface of the left atrium 74.
• the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 of the member 16 may pop-out of the sheath 68 and extend into its natural uncompressed state disposed against the internal mammalian tissue 64.
• the process may comprise an operator pushing the catheter 26 until the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 of the balloon 24 is disposed against the internal mammalian tissue 64, which may comprise the pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or the endocardial surface, of the left atrium 74.
• the process may comprise attracting and moving a ferromagnetic portion 48 of the balloon 24 towards a magnetized portion 60 of the guide-wire 50 to dispose the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 of the balloon 24 against the internal mammalian tissue 64, which may comprise the pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or the endocardial surface, of the left atrium 74.
• Blood 77 may flow from the pulmonary vein 76 through the second lumen 34 of the balloon 24 into the left atrium 74. This may minimize or eliminate temporary reduction of blood flow from the pulmonary vein 76 into the left atrium 74 during use of the balloon 24.
• An attachment member 81 such as a clip or other type of attachment member, may be used in the embodiment in which the ferromagnetic portion 48 of the balloon 24 is attracted towards the magnetized portion 60 of the guide-wire 50.
• the attachment member 81 may be used to fixedly attach the guide-wire 50 to the sheath 68 to keep the balloon 24 and the guide-wire 50 at a fixed distance apart from one another during treatment. This will result in the magnetic field exerting a constant electromagnetic force between the magnetized portion 60 of the guide wire
• the substance 12 may comprise any neuro toxic or cardio toxic agent, currently known or discovered in the future, which achieves a desired therapeutic effect when applied directly to the endocardium at sufficient concentrations, and for sufficient duration. These substances will alter the electrochemical properties of the tissue being treated without destroying or ablating the myocardial cells.
• the substance 12 may comprise any liquid agent for ablating myocardial tissue such as desiccated alcohol, or other substances that may induce chemical infarction or apoptosis of myocardial cells to ablate an arrhythmia impulse.
• the substance 12 may further comprise, or be mixed with, an anti-coagulant medication or any combination of medications necessary for safe and effective treatment.
• the substance 12, disposed in the cavity 22 between the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 of the member 16 and the non-porous portion 20 of the member 16, may then be infused, using the infusion device 73 , through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 to saturate the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 and contact the internal mammalian tissue 64, which may comprise pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or an endocardial surface of the left atrium 74.
• the substance 12 may alter the physiologic properties of the internal mammalian tissue 64 to treat arrhythmia.
• the substance 12 may ablate internal mammalian tissue 64, such as pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or an endocardial surface of the left atrium 74, to treat arrhythmia. This may lead to substantial improvement in arrhythmia and/or in arrhythmia being completely cured.
• internal mammalian tissue 64 such as pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or an endocardial surface of the left atrium 74
• the substance 12 may be infused through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 into contact with the internal mammalian tissue 64 for a prolonged period of time (such as a few minutes, an hour, a few hours, days, weeks, or other periods of time) at any necessary concentration to achieve the desired effect. During this time, the effect of the substance 12 on the mammalian tissue 64 may be monitored in order to achieve effective results prior to removing the substance 12 from being in contact with the mammalian tissue 64.
• varied substances 12 having differing effects may be sequentially applied to tailor the treatment to the particular patient in order to achieve the desired results.
• any number of substances 12 may be infused through the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 into contact with the internal mammalian tissue 64 at any concentration or duration.
• the infusion device 73 may be used to apply negative pressure suction in order to vacuum the substance 12 out of the balloon 24 to put the balloon 24 back into an unexpanded state. This may be done by using the infusion device 73 to vacuum the substance 12 out of the cavity 22, through the third lumen 36, and out of the second catheter lumen 39 in order to vacuum the substance 12 out of the cavity 22 of the balloon 24.
• the guide-wire 50 may be moved to move the stepped-up portion 52 of the guide-wire 50 through the tapered hole 29 in the nipple 28 until it abuts against the base surface 31 of the nipple 28.
• the guide-wire 50 may be moved to retract the nipple
• the stepped-up portion 52 of the guide-wire 50 has a wider width 54 than the width 44 of the first lumen 44.
• the nipple 28 of the member 16 may subsequently be inserted at separate times into other holes, comprising other pulmonary vein ostiums, of the left atrium 74.
• the substance 12 may be infused, using the same process, into the other holes, in order to treat the tissue around each of these holes.
• the member 16 may be used to treat all internal mammalian tissue 64, comprising pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or endocardial surfaces of the left atrium 74, which require treatment to improve or resolve arrhythmia. After all of the desired internal mammalian tissue 64, comprising pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or endocardial surfaces of the left atrium 74, which require treatment to improve or resolve arrhythmia. After all of the desired internal mammalian tissue 64, comprising pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or endocardial surfaces of the left atrium 74, which require treatment to improve or resolve arrhythmia. After all of the desired internal mammalian tissue 64, comprising pulmonary vein ostial tissue, pulmonary vein tissue 76, or endocardial surfaces of the left atrium 74, which require treatment to improve or resolve arrhythmia. After all of the desired internal mammalian tissue 64, comprising pulmonary vein ostial
• the stepped-up portion 52 of the guide-wire 50 may be moved against the base surface 31 of the nipple 28 to force the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 to gradually collapse within the non-porous portion 20 of the deflated balloon 24 from the configuration of Figure 8, to the configuration of Figure 9, into the configuration of Figure 10 in which it is disposed in a tulip configuration within the non-porous portion 20 of the balloon 24.
• the deflated balloon 24 is forced to gradually retract from the position of Figure 8, to the position of Figure 9, and into the position of Figure 10 in which it is disposed completely retracted back in the stowed position within the sheath 68.
• the balloon 24 material is sufficiently soft and malleable to allow easy retraction back into the collapsed configuration within the sheath 68.
• one or more Nitinol runners 49 connected between the flexible, absorbent, porous portion 18 and the catheter 26, may be used to assist in retracting the balloon 24 back into the sheath 68.
• the retracted balloon 24, stowed in the unexpanded/deflated state within the sheath 68, may then be removed from the mammal along with the sheath 68. This may be accomplished by following the first lumen 32 of the balloon 24 along the guide-wire 50 in order to remove the balloon 24 and the sheath 68 from the pulmonary vein 76.
• One or more embodiments of the disclosure may allow for the chemical treatment of atrial fibrillation, or other non-atrial fibrillation internal mammalian tissue issues, using a malleable, expansile, absorbent surface which consistently contacts the targeted endocardial and pulmonary vein tissue to deliver the chemical to the targeted cell tissue, without leaving gaps, and without relying on the current technique of delivering multiple ablative injury lines.
• This treatment allows the chemical to be narrowly applied to only the targeted tissue through a much easier and less-costly method than current treatments using standard interventional cardiology techniques which may be performed by any operator trained in catheter based cardiac procedures, as well as electrophysiologists, allowing for the treatment of patients worldwide, many of which currently lack access to treatment.
• This treatment may allow for the avoidance of serious side effects associated with current drug treatments as a result of eliminating the need for high dose systemic ingestion of drugs, thus avoiding side effects and toxicities. Moreover, this treatment may reduce the risk of serious side effects associated with current catheter based ablation techniques due to the use of the apparatus 10.

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• 2010
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