Abstract

A catheter arrangement and associated method provides for the application of a cell treatment agent, such as genetic material or drugs to be inserted within the cells of a patient in vivo. The catheter arrangement uses an optical fiber having a prism at its tip. Laser energy from the optical fiber is directed by the prism through a window portion on a side of the catheter. The window portion has a plurality of holes so as to divide the laser energy into a plurality of microbeams. The microbeams potate cell walls of the patient's cells. A treatment agent channel in the catheter allows the treatment agent to be provided directly to the same holes through which the microbeams pass such that the treatment agent is very efficiently applied to the porations in the cell walls.

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