Patent ID: 7666177

Claim:
A method for treating an injury of a spinal cord of a patient comprising: inserting an endoscope, including a catheter with a needle attached to a distal end, through a skin puncture; moving a distal portion of the endoscope into a subarachnoid space of the spinal cord; placing at least one syringe in fluid communication with the catheter and needle, wherein the syringe contains a fluid for distension of the subarachnoid space; depressing the syringe to release the fluid thereby distending the subarachnoid space; visualizing the spinal cord through the skin puncture; advancing the needle in the subarachnoid space; perforating a pia surrounding the spinal cord with the needle; stopping release of the fluid from the syringe; injecting a therapeutic substance from the needle into the spinal cord; and withdrawing the needle over a period of time creating a trail of therapeutic substance parallel to a longitudinal axis of the spinal cord.