Patent ID: 8715223

Claim:
A method of delivering a drug depot to a delivery site near a nerve of a patient, the method comprising: detecting the nerve of the patient; and positioning near the nerve of a patient a cannula having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the cannula having an opening to receive the drug depot, the distal end of the cannula having a side port containing an opening for passage of the drug depot on a shaft of said distal end of the cannula configured for delivery of said drug depot to the delivery site near the nerve of the patient; positioning the side port to deliver said drug depot to the delivery site near the nerve by orientating the position of said side port using an index marker configured to indicate the relative position of said side port when inserted into the skin of a patient; and delivering the drug depot at the delivery site near the nerve by sliding a plunger having a handle and a tip adapted for dispensing the drug depot, wherein the tip of the plunger is slidably receivable within the cannula to deliver the drug depot out the side port opening of the cannula to the delivery site near the nerve of the patient and the drug depot being in pellet form and comprising a biodegradable polymer.