Patent ID: 6461296
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: A61B,A61N

Abstract:
A method for treating a localized portion of body tissue comprising:(a) inserting a needle apparatus in a body, said apparatus including at least one hollow core needle for delivering treatment fluid into said body wherein said needle apparatus further includes a sheath having a lumen of greater diameter than an outer diameter of said needle for providing a gap between said needle and said sheath, and said needle extending through said lumen, and said sheath having an evacuation port through a wall of said heath and said evacuation port having fluid communication with a suction connector for connection to a vacuum to extract fluid from said body through said gap; (b) guiding said needle apparatus to a target tissue in need of treatment, and said guiding including use of an imaging technique for viewing inside an area of tissue without physically invading said area; and (c) applying said treatment fluid to said target tissue through said needle apparatus; wherein said treatment fluid is selected from the group consisting of genes, viruses, proteins, inhibitors, tissue markers, bioabsorbable polymers and other biological agents and chemotherapeutic agents.