Methods and devices for treating tissue

Abstract

Device and method are provided for diagnosing and treating diseases and injuries to the spine by injecting drugs into the diseased or injured area. The device and method of the subject invention provide improvements to patient and operator safety, along with ease-of-use and convenience improvements over conventional techniques.

1 . A method of delivering substances into an injection site in an epidural space of a patient while keeping sharp surfaces away from critical vasculature and nerves in the epidural space, the method comprising:
 providing a needle cannula having a sharp distal tip and a needle lumen exiting at the sharp distal tip, with an injection tubing advanceable out of the needle lumen, where the injection tubing comprises an injection lumen;   fluidly coupling a fluid source having a fluid material to the injection lumen;   inserting a distal end of the needle cannula into the patient and towards an epidural space;   positioning the sharp distal tip of the needle cannula proximal to the epidural space to keep the sharp distal tip away from critical vasculature and nerves in the epidural space;   advancing the injection tubing through the needle cannula to advance a tip of the injection tubing from the sharp distal tip of the needle cannula to the injection site into the epidural space;   delivering the fluid material through the injection lumen.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where advancing the tip of the needle cannula into the patient comprises advancing the tip of the needle cannula through a vertebral foramen. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising fluidly coupling a plurality of fluid sources to an injection lumen in the injection tubing prior to advancing the tip of the needle cannula into the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , where fluidly coupling the plurality of fluid sources comprises placing the fluid sources away from the immediate vicinity of the patient. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising sequentially delivering fluid in each fluid source through the injection tubing without de-coupling the respective fluid source from the injection lumen. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , where the plurality of fluid sources each comprises at least a radiopaque substance, an anesthetic, and an anti-inflammatory substance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where the injection tubing is coupled to a plunger member having a limited range of movement within the needle cannula, where advancing the tip of the distal end of the injection tubing comprises advancing the plunger member within the needle cannula. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , where advancing the tip of the needle cannula into the patient so that the tip is positioned adjacent to the vertebral body comprises spacing the tip of the needle cannula from the vertebral foramen of the patient. 
     
     
         9 . A method of delivering substances into an injection site in an epidural space of a patient while keeping sharp surfaces away from critical vasculature and nerves in the epidural space, the method comprising:
 providing a needle cannula having a sharp distal tip and a needle lumen exiting at the sharp distal tip, with an injection tubing advanceable out of the needle lumen, where the injection tubing comprises an injection lumen and where the injection tubing comprises elastic characteristics; ;   fluidly coupling a fluid source having a fluid material to the injection lumen;   inserting a distal end of the needle cannula into the patient and towards an epidural space;   positioning the sharp distal tip of the needle cannula proximal to the epidural space to keep the sharp distal tip away from critical vasculature and nerves in the epidural space;   advancing the injection tubing through the needle cannula to advance a tip of the injection tubing from the sharp distal tip of the needle cannula to the injection site into the epidural space where the elastic characteristics of the injection tubing cause the injection tubing to curve slightly around or deflect away from structures; and   delivering the fluid material through the injection lumen.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , where advancing the tip of the needle cannula into the patient comprises advancing the tip of the needle cannula through a vertebral foramen. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising fluidly coupling a plurality of fluid sources to an injection lumen in the injection tubing prior to advancing the tip of the needle cannula into the patient. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , where fluidly coupling the plurality of fluid sources comprises placing the fluid sources away from the immediate vicinity of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising sequentially delivering fluid in each fluid source through the injection tubing without de-coupling the respective fluid source from the injection lumen. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , where the plurality of fluid sources each comprises at least a radiopaque substance, an anesthetic, and an anti-inflammatory substance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , where the injection tubing is coupled to a plunger member having a limited range of movement within the needle cannula, where advancing the tip of the distal end of the injection tubing comprises advancing the plunger member within the needle cannula. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , where advancing the tip of the needle cannula into the patient so that the tip is positioned adjacent to the vertebral body comprises spacing the tip of the needle cannula from the vertebral foramen of the patient.