Apparatus and methods for restoring tissue

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for tissue restoration are provided. The apparatus may include a catheter shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal tip, the catheter shaft defining lumens including an inflation lumen and a light fiber lumen, a coated balloon positioned on a translucent distal segment of the catheter shaft proximal to the distal tip in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the coated distal balloon comprising a translucent material and a coated material on an outer surface of the coated balloon, and a light fiber positioned in the catheter shaft in the light fiber lumen and extending through the translucent distal segment.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for natural vessel scaffolding in a patient comprising:
 providing a catheter device, the device having:
 a catheter shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal tip and having a translucent distal segment, the catheter shaft defining lumens including an inflation lumen and a light fiber lumen; 
 a coated balloon positioned on the distal segment proximal to the distal tip in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the coated distal balloon comprising a translucent material and a coated material on an outer surface of the coated balloon; and 
 a light fiber positioned in the catheter shaft in the light fiber lumen and extending through the distal segment; 
   positioning the coated balloon to at least partially contact a vessel wall in an expanded state;   expanding the coated balloon; and   transferring a therapeutically effective quantity of the coated material from the outer surface of the coated balloon to the vessel wall.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the expanding step further comprises providing an inflation fluid through the inflation lumen to the coated balloon, and a pressure of the inflation fluid in the coated balloon causes the coated balloon to expand into an expanded state. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the coated material is a Natural Vascular Scaffolding treatment compound. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the Natural Vascular Scaffolding compound is light activated. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the translucent material of the distal segment and the coated balloon is transparent. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising the step of light activating the transferred material with the light fiber. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the expanding step further comprises conforming the coated material on the coated balloon to the morphology of the vessel wall. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the catheter shaft is shielded along the length of the catheter shaft until the distal segment, allowing light transmission out of the distal segment and the coated balloon. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the positioning step further comprises keeping the coated balloon in a compressed position that protects the coated material when the catheter shaft is guided to a target area of the vessel. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the catheter shaft further defines a guidewire lumen concentric with the catheter shaft. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the light fiber lumen extends to an opening in the distal tip; further comprising the step of providing a cooling agent through the light fiber lumen that exits the light fiber through the opening in the distal tip. 
     
     
         32 . A method for restoring tissue in a mammal comprising:
 providing a catheter device, the device having:
 a catheter shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal tip and having a translucent distal segment, the catheter shaft defining lumens including an inflation lumen and a light fiber lumen; 
 a coated balloon positioned on the distal segment proximal to the distal tip in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, the coated distal balloon comprising a translucent material and a coated material on an outer surface of the coated balloon; and 
 a light fiber positioned in the catheter shaft in the light fiber lumen and extending through the distal segment; 
   identifying target tissue in the mammal for treatment;   positioning the coated balloon to at least partially contact target tissue in an expanded state;   expanding the coated balloon; and   transferring a therapeutically effective quantity of the coated material from the outer surface of the coated balloon to the vessel wall.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the expanding step further comprises providing an inflation fluid through the inflation lumen to the coated balloon, and a pressure of the inflation fluid in the coated balloon causes the coated balloon to expand into an expanded state. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the coated material is a Natural Vascular Scaffolding treatment compound. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the Natural Vascular Scaffolding compound is light activated. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the translucent material of the distal segment and the coated balloon is transparent. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising the step of light activating the transferred material with the light fiber. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the expanding step further comprises conforming the coated material on the coated balloon to the morphology of the target tissue. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the catheter shaft is shielded along the length of the catheter shaft until the distal segment, allowing light transmission out of the distal segment and the coated balloon. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the positioning step further comprises keeping the coated balloon in a compressed position that protects the coated material when the catheter shaft is guided to a target area of the vessel. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the catheter shaft further defines a guidewire lumen concentric with the catheter shaft. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the light fiber lumen extends to an opening in the distal tip; further comprising the step of providing a cooling agent through the light fiber lumen that exits the light fiber through the opening in the distal tip.