Patent ID: 7189222

Claim:
A method of delivering indomethacin to a selected site within a hippocampus or lateral ventricle comprising steps of: providing a catheter having a first tubular portion that has a first tubular portion lumen and a second tubular portion partially disposed within the first tubular portion lumen, wherein the step of providing a catheter having a first tubular portion that has a first tubular portion lumen includes the step of: making the first tubular portion of a material that increases in diameter when heated; adjusting the length of the second tubular portion extending from the first tubular portion lumen to conform to the dimensions of a selected site in a hippocampus or lateral ventricle, wherein the step of adjusting the length of the second tubular portion includes the steps of: heating the first tubular portion until the diameter of the first tubular portion lumen increases in diameter a sufficient amount to enable relative sliding movement between the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion; sliding the second tubular portion in the first tubular portion lumen relative to the first tubular portion to provide a preselected length of the second tubular portion extending beyond the end of the first tubular portion; and cooling the first tubular portion until the first tubular portion and the second tubular portion are no longer capable of relative sliding movement; placing the catheter in the hippocampus or lateral ventricle so that the second tubular portion is placed at the selected site in the hippocampus or lateral ventricle; providing a source of indomethacin; coupling the catheter and the source of indomethacin to a pump for delivering indomethacin from the source of indomethacin to the hippocampus through the catheter; and actuating the pump to delivery the indomethacin to the hippocampus or lateral ventricle.