Patent ID: 8142414

Claim:
A method of injecting two or more fluids into a joint of a patient using a handpiece assembly of an injection system, the method comprising: manipulating at least a portion of a handpiece assembly into an anatomy of a patient, said handpiece assembly comprising a main portion, a needle positioned along a distal end of said main portion, and at least one fluid conduit in fluid communication with said needle; wherein a first fluid and at least a second fluid are configured to selectively flow through the at least one fluid conduit and to the needle; wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are configured to be delivered through the at least one fluid conduit either simultaneously or sequentially, based at least in part on instructions provided by a user; wherein the at least one fluid conduit is at least partially routed through an interior of the handpiece assembly; wherein at least one electronic controller is positioned along the main portion of the handpiece assembly, wherein manipulation of the at least one electronic controller is configured to regulate a fluid delivery scheme for selectively delivering the first fluid and the second fluid to and through the needle; wherein the fluid delivery scheme comprises an order in which the first and second fluids are delivered through the at least one fluid conduit and a flowrate at which the first and second fluids are delivered through the at least one fluid conduit; wherein the at least one electronic controller is configured to be in data communication with a fluid delivery module; wherein handpiece assembly is configured such that fluids are prevented from flowing proximally from the handpiece assembly through the at least one fluid conduit, toward the fluid delivery module; wherein the needle is configured to be positioned within a joint to selectively deliver at least one of said first fluid and said second fluid to said joint; positioning the needle into or near a joint of the patient; and delivering a volume of at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid through the at least one conduit to and through the needle; wherein the at least one electronic controller is selectively removable from the handpiece assembly; and wherein simultaneous delivery of the first and the second fluids is performed by combining the first and second fluids at a location proximal to the needle.