Patent ID: 8090430

Claim:
A method for delivering a substance selected from i) substances comprising a therapeutic substance and ii) substances comprising cells, to a target location within the body of a human or animal subject, said method comprising the steps of: (A) inserting into the subject's vasculature a tissue penetrating catheter having a catheter body and a tissue penetrator that is advanceable from and retractable into the catheter body, said tissue penetrator having a lumen; (B) positioning the tissue penetrating catheter in a blood vessel near the target location; (C) advancing the tissue penetrator from the tissue penetrating catheter toward the target location; (D) advancing a delivery catheter through the tissue penetrator lumen, said delivery catheter having an elongate delivery catheter body, a delivery catheter lumen and at least one outlet opening through which a substance may be delivered; (E) positioning the delivery catheter such that delivery of said substance selected from i) substances comprising a therapeutic substance and ii) substances comprising cells through the delivery catheter and out of said at least one outlet opening will enter the target location; (F) retracting the tissue penetrator and removing the tissue penetrating catheter, leaving the delivery catheter in place with the elongate delivery catheter body extends through the subject's vasculature and subsequent delivery of said substance selected from i) substances comprising a therapeutic substance and ii) substances comprising cells through the delivery catheter and out of said at least one outlet opening will cause the substance to enter the target location; (G) subcutaneously implanting a port or reservoir; (H) connecting the delivery catheter lumen to the subcutaneously implanted port or reservoir; and (I) injecting said substance selected from i) substances comprising a therapeutic substance and ii) substances comprising cells into the subcutaneously implanted port or reservoir causing the substance to flow through the delivery catheter lumen, out of said at least one outlet opening and to the target location.