CRYOTHERAPY METHOD FOR REDUCING TISSUE INJURY AFTER BALLOON ANGIOPLASTY OR STENT IMPLANTATION

摘要

A cryotherapy method for reducing tissue injury after balloon angioplasty, or stent implantation, contemplates use of a well insulated, low profile catheter (30) designed to transport a low temperature medium such as gas, fluid, or a mixture thereof at a particular temperature over a guide wire (33) to the site of a lesion. The lesion may, or may not have undergone previous procedure for balloon angioplasty, or stent implantation. The cryo-medium is introduced from a well insulated storage chamber (13) having a small nozzle to which a conduit (15) may be attached to allow conveyance of the fluid to a point of use. A hand held valve (25) is incorporated into the conduit to allow the surgeon to closely control the flow of the cryo-medium to the point of use. The conduit extends downstream of the valve, and is fluidly connected to the catheter that is positioned at the point of the lesion in the body. If desired, antibiotics, anticoagulants, anti-proliferative agents, gene materials, etc. may also be dispersed along the cryo-medium intraluminously. Such additional substances may be mixed with the cryo-medium in the storage chamber before introduction into the catheter. Several alternative catheter structures are contemplated in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.