Patent ID: 6942165

Claim:
A device for producing a microfoam suitable for use in sclerotherapy of blood vessels comprising a housing in which is situated a pressurisable chamber containing an aqueous sclerosant liquid; a pathway with one or more outlet orifices by which the liquid may pass from the pressurisable chamber to exterior of the device through one or more outlet orifices and a mechanism by which the pathway from the chamber to the exterior can be opened or closed such that, when the container is pressurised and the pathway is open, fluid in the chamber will be forced along the pathway and through the one or more outlet orifices said housing including one or more of (a) a pressurised source of physiologically acceptable gas that is dispersible in blood and (b) an inlet for admission of said gas; the gas being contacted with the liquid on activation of the mechanism such as to produce a gas liquid mixture said pathway to the exterior of the housing includes one or more elements defining one or more passages of cross-sectional dimension 0.1 μm to 30 μm, through which the gas liquid mixture is passed to reach the exterior of the device, said passing of the mixture through the passages forming a microfoam of from 0.07 to 0.19 g/ml density and having a half-life of at least 2 minutes.