Patent ID: 6537241
Filing Date: 2003-03-25
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A system for performing site specific therapy of a tissue site, the system comprising one or more catheters, each comprising one or more semipermeable membranes in the form of hollow fibers adapted to be positioned within the tissue site, and a delivery/recovery mechanism for employing the catheter(s) to control the movement of bulk fluids within tissue portions in a manner that achieves a therapeutic effect, wherein the delivery/recovery mechanism comprises a source of negative hydrostatic pressure adapted to recover bulk fluids and/or water and permeant solutes through the semipermeable membranes and from the tissue site, and wherein the hollow fibers each provide a combination of strength, transport rate, and porosity suitable to provide improved fiber fluid recovery as compared to a conventional hollow fiber formed of regenerated cellulose membranes when evaluated in a test system comprising the fibers submerged in a physiologic fluid solution and subjected to negative 180 mm Hg.