Patent ID: 8361039

Claim:
A system for performing injections in the myocardial wall of a patient which comprises: an injection catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, and defining a longitudinal axis; a flexible array mounted at the distal end of the injection catheter, with the array being moveable between a protective configuration wherein the array is substantially cylindrical shaped and is aligned with the axis of the injection catheter, and a flared configuration wherein the array extends omni-directionally from the axis to become substantially disk-shaped and lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis to abut against tissue during an injection; a needle mounted on the distal end of the injection catheter and covered by the flexible array when the array is in its protective configuration; and a locking mechanism mounted on the proximal end of the injection catheter for engagement with the flexible array at the distal end of the injection catheter, wherein the locking mechanism includes a contraction spring biasing the array into the flared configuration to abut against tissue during an injection, the locking mechanism selectively manipulable to release the array from its protective configuration for movement into the flared configuration, and to thereafter hold the array in its flared configuration for an injection, and wherein the contraction spring is manipulable after an injection to subsequently move the flexible array from its flared configuration to its protective configuration.