Patent ID: 7517342

Claim:
An apparatus for delivering a therapeutic agent or medicament to an obstruction within a vascular segment or a body passageway which comprises: a catheter having a proximal and a expandable distal end, said expandable distal end comprising a cylindrically shaped expansion member located on the distal end of the catheter, the expansion member including first and second ends and having a plurality of flexible elongated elements, the plurality of flexible elongate elements comprising a first set of elements having a first common direction of rotation crossing a second set of elements having a second common direction of rotation opposite to that of the first direction of rotation to form a double helix mesh, said catheter further comprising: a means for conducting electrical energy from a proximal end to said expandable distal end; a first elongate member defining a first lumen; and a second elongate member defining a second lumen, which is located within the first lumen, to receive a guide wire, wherein the second elongate member is centrally disposed within a space formed by the expansion member, wherein the means for conducting electrical energy from the proximal end to the expandable distal end comprises at least one electrical lead located within the first lumen, said at least one electrical lead is positioned within the second elongate member located within the first lumen, said distal end incorporating a hydrogel polymer encapsulated with a therapeutic agent or medicament and electrophoretic or electro-osmotic carriers.