Patent ID: 8221358

Claim:
A device for delivering a drug depot to a site at or near a spinal column of a patient, the device comprising: a cannula having a diameter, and a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the cannula having an opening and a drug depot chamber to receive the drug depot, the distal end of the cannula for insertion at or near the spinal column and having an opening for passage of the drug depot, and the drug depot having a proximal end configured for attaching to a plunger and a distal end configured to facilitate insertion into the site, is disposed within the drug depot chamber of the cannula, the drug depot chamber being immovably disposed to the cannula at the proximal end and has a diameter larger than the diameter of the cannula; a plunger being slidably receivable within the opening of the proximal end of the cannula and the drug depot chamber, the plunger having a first end and a tip at a second end that is configured to fit within said proximal end of said drug depot, the first end moves the tip of the plunger to an extended position; wherein the openings of the proximal and distal ends permit passage of the drug depot and wherein the movement of the tip of the plunger to the extended position causes the tip of the plunger to push the drug depot out of the drug depot chamber and out of the distal end of the cannula and cause delivery of the drug depot from the distal end of the cannula to the site at or near the spinal column of the patient; and a drug cartridge having a proximal end and distal end, the proximal end of the cartridge having an opening in the form of a channel for loading at least one drug depot and for slidably receiving the plunger tip over a longitudinal axis of the drug cartridge, wherein the drug pellets are slidably receivable over the longitudinal axis within the channel of the drug cartridge such that the plunger tip is configured for pushing one or more drug pellets along the channel and guiding the drug pellets out the distal end opening to release the drug pellets to the distal end of the cannula, wherein the drug cartridge will remain in the drug depot chamber.