A novel coaxial tube catheter for central nervous system infusions: performance characteristics in brain phantom gel

Abstract

We tested a novel neurocatheter in a brain-tissue gel model of drug infusion via convection-enhanced delivery (CED) for the treatment of a variety of neurological diseases. CED is an alternative to systemic administration of agents by intravenous or oral routes, which are often less effective or carry risk of systemic side effects. We investigated two co-axial tube devices, with outer diameters of 1.6 mm and 2.0 mm. Bromophenol blue dye was infused into 400 ml of 0.6% agarose gel at 1 μl/min for 1 h, with/without the inner and outer tubes Luer-locked at the proximal end, with/without the inner tube primed, and with/without the inner tube preloaded into the outer tube upon insertion into the gel. The unlocked, primed, and unloaded configuration produced infusions that resulted in significantly less (p < 0.05) entrapped air escaping into the gel and resulted in no reflux of infusate.

Keywords:

• Neurocatheter
• Positive pressure infusion
• Convection-enhanced delivery
• Brain phantom gels
• Coaxial catheter

Acknowledgements

The work was funded in part by the Kopf Family Foundation, Inc. and NexGen Medical Systems, Inc. at the University of Virginia, and the Hord and Hafner Funds of the MCV Foundation at Virginia Commonwealth University. Authors Gillies, Broaddus, Chen and Fillmore have a financial interest in the company (NexGen Medical Systems, Inc.) that is the commercial licensee for the catheter technology. Authors Gillies, Broaddus, Chen and Fillmore may receive royalties from the license agreement between their institutions and the licensee company (NexGen Medical Systems, Inc.).