Patent ID: 8557271

Claim:
A method of treating a tissue within a synovial joint in a patient in need of such treatment, the method comprising inserting a drug depot through the synovial joint and attaching the drug depot to the inside of the synovial joint capsule so that the drug depot does not substantially interfere with movement of the joint, wherein said depot extends along a longitudinal axis and comprises a polymer, at least one pharmaceutical agent, one or more first barbs slanting backwards along the longitudinal axis and one or more second barbs slanting forwards along the longitudinal axis; wherein the one or more first barbs and the one or more second barbs comprise a shape memory polymer and a frame that can fold and unfold, and the one or more first barbs and the one or more second barbs are inflatable and configured to be filled with air or fluid to expand the one or more first barbs and the one or more second barbs and inflating the one or more first barbs and the one or more second barbs by filling them with air or fluid.