System and method for delivering a substance to a body cavity

Abstract

A system and method for creating a medicated atmosphere in an organ, or body cavity is disclosed. The system includes a flexible aerosolization catheter that can be manipulated during use, a device for the introduction of the aerosolization catheter, a medication delivery apparatus configured to control delivery of a medication to the catheter, a gas delivery apparatus in communication with the catheter, a gas pressure relief apparatus configured to relieve pressure in the organ or body cavity, and a central controller The method includes providing insufflation gas and an aerosol of medication to an organ or body cavity while controlling overall pressure in the organ or cavity. The method may also include re-entering a patient through at least one port to apply gas and an aerosolized medicament, in either a post-operative procedure or in a chemotherapy context.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for use in a minimally invasive procedure to deliver a plurality of substances to a body cavity of a patient, the system comprising:
 a fluid dispensing controller in communication with a gas supply and the plurality of substances;   a catheter configured for insertion into the body cavity, the catheter comprising:   a gas delivery channel configured for delivery of gas from the gas supply to the body cavity of the patient, wherein the gas delivery channel comprises an only source of gas provided to the body cavity; and   a substance delivery channel configured for delivery of substances to the body cavity of the patient, the catheter having a distal end positionable in the body cavity and configured to generate an aerosol within the body cavity;   a plurality of fluid sources in communication with the substance delivery channel via a fluid mixer and independently controllable by the fluid dispensing controller to provide a plurality of fluids to the substance delivery channel, wherein the plurality of fluid sources are configured to contain at least two different fluids; and   wherein gas delivered to the body cavity via the gas delivery channel both distends the body cavity and nebulizes the substance.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of fluid sources comprise a plurality of syringes. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid mixer comprises a passive fluid mixer. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein a passive fluid mixer comprises a Y-tube. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid mixer comprises a mixing chamber configured to receive a portion of gas from the gas supply to eject fluid received from at least one of the plurality of fluid sources to the substance delivery channel. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid dispensing controller is configured to dispense to the fluid mixer a first quantity of a first fluid from a first of the plurality of fluid sources concurrently with a second quantity of a second fluid from a second of the plurality of fluid sources, wherein the first fluid differs from the second fluid and the first and second fluids mix in the fluid mixer. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the fluid dispensing controller is configurable to dispense to the fluid mixer a first quantity of a first fluid from a first of the plurality of fluid sources after dispensing a second quantity of a second fluid from a second of the plurality of fluid sources, wherein the first fluid differs from the second fluid and the second fluid is sent through, and evacuated from, the fluid mixer before the first fluid is dispensed. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a pressure relief valve configured for positioning adjacent the body cavity. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the pressure relief valve comprises an active pressure relief valve positioned adjacent the gas supply and in communication with the body cavity via an external pressure sense line. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the mixing chamber further comprises a plurality of input ports, each of the plurality of input ports configured to receive fluid from a respective one of the plurality of fluid sources, and a check valve positioned at each of the plurality of input ports to prevent backflow of a fluid into a same or different fluid source. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the minimally invasive procedure comprises a post-operative therapeutic treatment. 
     
     
         32 . A method of providing a plurality of substances to a body cavity of a patient in a minimally invasive procedure, the method comprising:
 inserting a catheter into the body cavity, the catheter having:   a gas delivery channel configured for delivery of gas from a gas supply to the body cavity of the patient and a substance delivery channel configured for delivery of a substance to the body cavity of the patient, wherein the gas delivery channel and the substance delivery channel extend separately into, and terminate within, a distal end positionable in the body cavity; and   wherein the distal end is configured to cause gas from the gas delivery channel to mix with the substance from the substance delivery channel outside the gas delivery channel and substance delivery channel and within the body cavity to form an aerosol;   injecting insufflation gas into the gas delivery channel of the catheter;   dispensing at least two substances, the at least two substances comprising a first fluid from a first fluid source and a second fluid from a second fluid source into the catheter via a fluid mixer and the substance delivery channel;   nebulizing the first and second fluids with the insufflation gas only inside the body cavity; and   both distending the body cavity and nebulizing the first and second fluids with only the insufflation gas injected in the gas delivery channel.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second fluid sources each comprise a syringe. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein dispensing the first fluid from the first fluid source and the second fluid from the second fluid source further comprises:
 dispensing the first fluid from the first fluid source concurrently with the second fluid from the second fluid source, wherein the first fluid differs from the second fluid; and   mixing the first and second fluids in the fluid mixer prior to nebulizing the first and second fluids.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein mixing the first and second fluids comprises receiving a portion of gas at the fluid mixer from the gas supply to eject fluid received from the first and second fluid sources to the substance delivery channel. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein dispensing the first fluid from the first fluid source and the second fluid from the second fluid source further comprises dispensing the first fluid from the first fluid source after dispensing the second fluid from the second fluid source, wherein the first fluid differs from the second fluid and the second fluid is sent through, and evacuated from, the fluid mixer before the first fluid is dispensed. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the minimally invasive procedure comprises a post-operative therapeutic treatment. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the substance is a chemotherapy drug. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising heating the insufflation gas. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising maintaining a desired pressure in the body cavity with at least one pressure relief valve in communication with one of the gas delivery channel or substance delivery channel.