Current methods of delivering chemotherapy and chemoembolization agents have trouble limiting the affected parts of the organ to just the area around the tumor. Dana Blankenhorn, who now blogs at SmartPlanet.com, is reporting that Vascular Designs Inc. out of San Jose, CA 
has received FDA clearance for its IsoFlow infusion catheter that can occlude a section of vasculature, while allowing blood to continue to perfuse through the catheter itself. Once occluded, the chemo agents can be delivered peripherally to the isolated section, while blood is shunted past uninterrupted.
More details from the product page:
The IsoFlow catheter enables sideways perfusion, which gives you the ability to push specified fluids both into side branch and angiogenicly formed vessels, letting medications reach an isolated area in a highly targeted and concentrated fashion. With IsoFlow’s unique design, fluids can reach areas that could not previously be treated directly.
IsoFlow is inserted with a guide wire and catheter for precise positioning within a patient’s body. Once in place, both of IsoFlow’s balloons are simultaneously inflated using radiopaque fluid via a single inflation lumen. Physician-specified fluid is introduced through the infusion lumen or the guide wire lumen via the one-way stopcock connection. The mixture of infusion and radiopaque agents is then delivered to the target region between the two balloons. For sideways infusion, the guide wire is retracted to allow blood to bypass the isolated target region via holes in the catheter exterior. Complete removal of the guide wire allows fluid delivery from the distal tip.
Watch the video for how the IsoFlow is operated:
Product page: IsoFlow …
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