Drug delivery apparatus

Abstract

Percutaneous access apparatus is described that comprises a percutaneous fluid access device having an extracorporeal portion, one or more ports accessible from the extracorporeal portion and a septum for sealing each port. A connector device comprising one or more hollow needles is attachable to the percutaneous fluid access device. The apparatus also includes an attachment mechanism for attaching the connector device to the extracorporeal portion and an actuation mechanism that, after the connector device has been attached to the extracorporeal portion, can be used to drive the one or more hollow needles through the septum to establish fluid communication between the one or more hollow needles and the one or more ports. The apparatus may be used for neurosurgery applications.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A fluid connector device for providing a fluidic connection with a percutaneous fluid access device having a plurality of ports, the fluid connector device comprising:
 a connector body having a first axis;   a plurality of hollow needles, each hollow needle of the plurality of hollow needles having a longitudinal axis that is aligned to be substantially parallel to the first axis; and   at least one needle guide configured to enable the plurality of hollow needles to be translated back and forth relative to the connector body along the first axis.   
     
     
         17 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 16 , comprising a needle holder for holding the plurality of needles. 
     
     
         18 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one needle guide comprises an axial alignment channel formed within the connector body for guiding the needle holder back and forth along the first axis. 
     
     
         19 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one needle guide is detachable from the connector body. 
     
     
         20 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 16 , comprising an actuation mechanism to drive the plurality of hollow needles back and forth along the first axis. 
     
     
         21 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 20 , wherein at least part of the actuation mechanism is detachable from the connector body. 
     
     
         22 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 16 , comprising an attachment mechanism configured to secure the fluid connector device to an extracorporeal portion of the associated percutaneous fluid access device. 
     
     
         23 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 22 , wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to provide repeatable alignment of the connector body with the extracorporeal portion of the associated percutaneous fluid access device 
     
     
         24 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 23 , wherein the associated percutaneous fluid access device comprises a plurality of ports and the attachment mechanism allows a repeatable alignment of each hollow needle with a predetermined one of the ports. 
     
     
         25 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 22 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an indicator to indicate that the fluid connector device has been securely attached to the extracorporeal portion. 
     
     
         26 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 22 , comprising an actuation mechanism to drive the plurality of hollow needles back and forth along the first axis, wherein the actuation mechanism is configured to drive the needles into engagement with the associated percutaneous fluid access device after the fluid connector device has been secured to the extracorporeal portion by the attachment mechanism. 
     
     
         27 . A fluid connector device according to  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of hollow needles comprises at least four hollow needles. 
     
     
         28 . A neurosurgical fluid delivery apparatus comprising a percutaneous fluid access device having a plurality of ports and a fluid connector device for providing a fluidic connection with the plurality of ports of the percutaneous fluid access device, wherein the fluid connector device comprises:
 a connector body having a first axis;   a plurality of hollow needles, each hollow needle of the plurality of hollow needles having a longitudinal axis that is aligned to be substantially parallel to the first axis; and   at least one needle guide configured to enable the plurality of hollow needles to be translated back and forth relative to the connector body along the first axis.   
     
     
         29 . An apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of ports comprises at least one septum having a septum surface and the apparatus is configured such that, whilst the fluidic connection is being established between the fluid connector device and the percutaneous fluid access device, the first axis of the connector body is substantially perpendicular to the plane containing the septum. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus according to  claim 28 , comprising an attachment mechanism configured to secure the fluid connector device to an extracorporeal portion of the percutaneous fluid access device. 
     
     
         31 . An apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the attachment mechanism allows repeatable alignment of each hollow needle of the plurality of hollow needles with a predetermined one of the plurality of ports. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus according to  claim 28 , further comprising at least one catheter connectable to the percutaneous fluid access device. 
     
     
         33 . A method for delivering fluid to the central nervous system using a fluid connector device comprising:
 a connector body having a first axis, a plurality of hollow needles, each hollow needle of the plurality of hollow needles having a longitudinal axis that is aligned to be substantially parallel to the first axis, and   at least one needle guide configured to enable the plurality of hollow needles to be translated back and forth relative to the connector body along the first axis, the method comprising the steps of:
 (i) connecting the fluid connector device to a percutaneous fluid access device implanted in a subject to thereby establish a fluidic connection with the percutaneous fluid access device; and 
 (ii) passing fluid to the percutaneous fluid access device via the fluid connector device. 
   
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the implanted percutaneous fluid access device is in fluid communication with at least one catheter and step (ii) comprises delivering fluid to the central nervous system via the at least one catheter. 
     
     
         35 . A method according to  claim 34 , wherein the fluid delivered in step (ii) comprises a therapeutic agent for the treatment of a neurological disease.