Inventors:
Thomas M. Vesely - Saint Louis MO, US
Christopher H. Porter - Woodinville WA, US
Claude A. Vidal - Santa Barbara CA, US
Russell J. Redmond - Goleta CA, US
Byron L. Moran - Santa Barbara CA, US
Paul Kaluzniak - St. Paul MN, US
Abram D. Janis - Valencia CA, US
International Classification:
A61M 5/32
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for facilitating the management of indwelling conduits to avoid and/or treat infections associated with long term implantation. A sleeve carrying a layer of porous material on its outer surface is percutaneous implanted to place the layer of porous material just under the patient's outer skin in contact with the patient's dermis where it functions to promote soft tissue ingrowth. A catheter passes through the sleeve passageway and along an interior body path to an interior destination site, e.g., an opening into a vein, i.e., venotomy site. Within about 3-6 weeks after implantation, the patient's dermal tissue integrates sufficiently with the sleeve porous material to physically anchor the sleeve and create an infection resistant barrier. Further, a tunnel, characterized by an epithelialized capsule, typically forms around the catheter along the interior body path extending to the interior destination site. After sufficient integration of the patient's soft tissue into the porous layer, the sleeve passageway can be used to pass various procedural tools to the tunnel and interior destination site without disturbing the tissue integrating barrier.