Apparatus And Method For Injection Of Fibrin Sealant In Spinal Applications

Abstract

An apparatus for percutaneous delivery of a sealant comprising: at least two fluid reservoirs, an introducer needle having a distal tip that is in fluid communication with at least one reservoir, a fluid delivery tube that is in fluid communication with a second reservoir, wherein the fluid delivery tube has a tip and wherein the fluid delivery tube is configured so that the tip of the fluid delivery tube does not extend past the distal tip of the introducer needle during use.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for percutaneous delivery of a sealant comprising: at least two fluid reservoirs, an introducer needle having a distal tip that is in fluid communication with at least one reservoir, a fluid delivery tube that is in fluid communication with a second reservoir, wherein the fluid delivery tube has a tip and wherein the fluid delivery tube is configured so that the tip of the fluid delivery tube does not extend past the distal tip of the introducer needle during use. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube is a needle. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube is a catheter. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube is integral with connector. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube couples to a first reservoir of the at least two reservoirs. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a connector provides a passage for fluid communication. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the passage between the fluid delivery tube and the introducer needle is of a diameter is of a volume approximately equal to the volume of fluid delivered through the fluid delivery tube. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the introducer needle couples to the at least one fluid reservoir by a luer fitting. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least two reservoirs constitute a multi-barrel syringe. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube does not protrude out the end of the introducer needle. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the introducer needle has a distal tip and wherein the fluid delivery tube has a tip that does not extend past the distal tip of the introducer needle during use such and which tip of the fluid delivery tube extends no more than 1 mm from the distal tip of the introducer needle. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the introducer needle has a distal tip and wherein the fluid delivery tube has a tip that does not extend past the distal tip of the introducer needle during use such and wherein the fluid delivery tube has a tip that extends no more than 1 mm from the tip of the introducer needle so that mixing of fibrin sealant injected through the fluid delivery tub and the introducer needle at least partially occurs in the introducer needle. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube directly couples to one of the at least two reservoirs, and wherein the fluid delivery tube is affixed to a connector so that the fluid delivery tube cannot move within the introducer needle. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein introducer needle has a gauge in the range of 18 to 22. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein apparatus is handheld. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube includes a plurality of holes toward the distal tip that permit fluid to exit the fluid delivery tube prior to the distal tip of the introducer needle. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the fluid delivery tube is sealed and includes at least one hole in the side wall toward the distal tip that permits fluid to exit the fluid delivery tube prior to the distal tip. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery tube is of a length such that during use the fluid delivery tube extends within the introducer needle into the intra-discal space of a human disc, and wherein the fluid delivery tube is of a length such that fluid injected through the fluid delivery tube first contacts fluid injected through the introducer needle within the bore of the introducer needle. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises:
 a cartridge having at least two cylinder bores for fluids to be delivered, wherein each cylinder includes an exit port for a fluid,   a plunger within each cylinder for pushing the fluids out of the cylinder,   a housing adapted to receive the cartridge, wherein the housing includes an adaptor to receive and lock a manifold that operably connects to the exit ports of the cartridge,   at least two toothed rams, wherein each toothed ram is at least partially within a cylinder bore, and,   a pressure monitor.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising
 a trigger connected to the housing, wherein the trigger includes a toothed drive rack,   a toothed wheel assembly that cooperates with the toothed drive rack and with the toothed rams.