Patent ID: 11937910
Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, CARDIOLOGY DIVISION, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A system for internal delivery and injection of therapeutic substances into tissue within a body, comprising:
a catheter comprising:
a flexible elongate shaft with proximal and distal ends;
a lumen extending through at least a portion of said shaft and having an opening exiting proximate to said distal end of said shaft;
a first contact sensor attached to said catheter proximate to said distal end, said first contact sensor configured to generate a contact output indicative of contact between the catheter and the tissue;
a therapy delivery needle disposed within said lumen, said therapy delivery needle fluidly connected to a supply of therapeutic solution and being selectively moveable between a retracted position disposed within said catheter and an extended position where a tip of said needle is disposed a predetermined distance beyond said opening; and
a control unit configured to compare a first contact output
generated when the therapy delivery needle is positioned in the retracted position with a second contact output generated when the therapy delivery needle is positioned in the extended position, to generate an output indicative of needle insertion into the tissue based on said comparison.