Patent ID: 8414558

Claim:
A method for performing injections in the myocardial wall of a patient which comprises the steps of: providing an intra myocardial injector including (a) an injection catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, and defining a longitudinal axis, (b) a flexible array mounted at the distal end of the injection catheter, with the array being moveable between a protective configuration wherein the array is substantially cylindrical shaped and is aligned with the axis of the injection catheter, and a flared configuration wherein the array is substantially disk-shaped and lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis, (c) a needle mounted on the distal end of the injection catheter and covered by the flexible array when the array is in its protective configuration, and (d) a locking mechanism mounted on the proximal end of the injection catheter for engagement with the flexible array at the distal end of the injection catheter, wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring biasing the array into a flared configuration to abut against tissue during an injection and is selectively manipulable to release the array from a locked, protective configuration to its flared configuration, and to thereafter hold the array in its flared configuration for an injection and to subsequently move the flexible array from its flared configuration to its protective configuration; positioning a guiding catheter in the ventricle of the patient; moving the flexible array to the protective configuration; advancing the injection catheter through a lumen in the guiding catheter to an injection site; releasing the flexible array from its protective configuration to its flared configuration; performing an injection with the needle while the flexible array is flared to prevent contact between the injection catheter and the myocardial tissue during the injection; and returning the flexible array to its protective configuration for removal from the vasculature.