Patent ID: 8005538

Claim:
An apparatus for the delivery of a fluid to an anatomical region, the apparatus comprising: a catheter comprising a catheter body, the catheter body comprising a lumen therein, a closed radiused distal end defined by a continuous, unbroken distal portion of the catheter body wherein the catheter body extends to the closed distal end, and an infusion section configured to permit fluid to pass through the catheter body, the infusion section defining a length that is less than a length of the catheter body; a coiled member enclosed within the catheter body and the closed radiused distal end, the coiled member comprising adjacent coils and defining a first end, a second end, and a lumen therethrough, wherein the second end of the coiled member is positioned nearer to the distal end of the catheter body than the first end of the coiled member; and one or more electrically conductive elements supported by the catheter body and capable of electrical communication with one or more sources of electrical stimulus located peripheral to the catheter body for providing an electrical stimulus to a patient's tissue surrounding the catheter body; wherein: the coiled member is configured such that, when the coiled member is in a relaxed position, at least a portion of an outer surface of the adjacent coils are in contact with one another in at least a portion of the coiled member; the coiled member has a length that is greater than or equal to the length of the infusion section when the coiled member is in the relaxed position; the coiled member is capable of conducting an electrical stimulus; and the apparatus is configured such that fluid must pass between one or more adjacent coils of the coiled member before passing through the infusion section at least one of the one or more electrically conductive elements is in communication with the coiled member.