Importance

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Abstract

Medical catheters and methods are provided for dispensing and implanting materials and devices within the bodies of living beings. In one form, an implantable device or material is disposed within the operating head of a catheter which is caused to move through a body duct to a select location therein which location is detected either by externally scanning the body duct with radiation or ultrasonic energy or by viewing an image of the body duct adjacent the head of the catheter by means of a fiber optical viewing system including a fiber optic cable extending along the catheter. When properly located, a mechanical, electro-mechanical and/or fluidically operated mechanism in the head of the catheter is operated causing a select quantity of an implantable material or an implant to be forced from the head and caused to engage a select portion of the wall of the body duct and attach thereto to retain such implant or material in engagement therewith. In a particular form, attachment is effected by means of a biodegradeable adhesive which sets in situ per se or between the implant of implantable material and the tissue of the wall of the body duct. Thereafter the catheter is retracted and either completely removed from the wall of the body duct or is disposed at a second location and the procedure repeated with respect to a second implant or second quantity of material to be attached to the wall of the body duct.

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First Claim