Method for coating surgical instruments

• US 10,405,916 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Team Medical, LLC
• Original Assignee: Team Medical, LLC
• Inventors: Heim, Warren P., Brassell, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Padgett, Marianne L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bowman, Andrew J
• Application Number:
  US15/293,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20170027631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 106600, 106 1831, 606 39, 606 41, 606 45, 606 49, 427508
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/02 Methods for coating medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/06 Coatings containing a mixture of two or more compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/08 Coatings comprising two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/088 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/36 Successively applying liquids or other fluent materials, e.g. without intermediate treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/007 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/00 Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/30 Oxides other than silica ferrites C04B14/363
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/303 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/305 Titanium oxide, e.g. titanates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/322 Carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/323 Boron carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/324 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/325 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/328 : Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/366 : Phosphates, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 : Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/40 : Surface-active agents, dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00482 : Coating or impregnation materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00525 : for metallic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00836 : for medical or dental applications
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2682 : Halogen containing polymers, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/42 : Organo-silicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/26 : Silicates of the alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0263 : Hardening promoted by a rise in temperature C04B40/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 1/00 : Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/445 : from vinylfluorides or other fluoroethylenic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/259 : Silicic material

Abstract

A coating and devices using the coating are provided. The coating is applied in liquid form and dried or otherwise cured to form a durable adherent coating resistant to high temperatures and having optional hydrophobic properties. The coating formulation contains an aqueous formulation of silica, one or more fillers, and sufficient base, (e.g., potassium hydroxide), to have a pH exceeding about 10.5 during at least part of the formulation process. The formulation may contain a compound(s) that affects surface free energy, energy to make the cured coating hydrophobic. Such compounds include silanes containing halogens (e.g., fluorine or chlorine) and in particular silanes containing one or more hydrolyzable groups attached to at least one silicon atom and a group containing one or more halogens (e.g., chlorine or fluorine). A medical instrument (e.g., electrosurgical instrument) may be at least partially covered by a coating using the formulation.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical instrument comprising:

a metal surface portion including at least one edge; and

,

a coating provided on at least a portion of the metal surface portion of the electrosurgical instrument so that at least a portion of the at least one edge of the metal surface has an impedance from the electrosurgical instrument to tissue of less than about 5,000 ohms, wherein the coating is defined by a coating formulation including;

silica;

at least one inorganic filler; and

,

a strong base in an amount so that the coating formulation has a pH of at least 10.5 during at least part of a formulation process.

2. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of said at least one edge of the metal surface portion is exposed through said coating.

3. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein at least part of the coating is between about 0.001 and 0.1 inches thick.

4. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein at least part of the coating is between about 0.001 and 0.1 inches thick.

5. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein at least part of the coating is between about 0.002 and 0.10 inches thick.

6. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the metal surface portion comprises stainless steel.

7. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating formulation further comprises:

at least one alkylalkoxysilane that includes at least one halogen.

8. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one halogen is comprised of a least one of:

cholorine; and

,

fluorine.

9. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one alkylalkoxysilane of said coating formulation is selected from a group consisting of:

fluoroalkylalkoxysilanes; and

,

chloroalkylalkoxysilanes.

10. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 7, wherein said at least one alkylalkoxysilane is fluoroalkylalkoxysilane, and said fluoroalkylalkoxysilane is between 0.25 and 5 weight percent of said coating formulation.

11. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating formulation further comprises at least one of the following:

a material including a fluorinated carbon chain; and

a material including at least partially hydrolyzed fluorinated silanes; and

a material including at least partially cross-linked hydrolyzed silanes.

12. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said coating formulation has a pH of at least 12.5 during at least part of the preparing step.

13. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said strong base is potassium hydroxide.

14. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein the metal surface portion is defined by a blade.

15. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 14, wherein said coating formulation comprises at least 10 weight percent of a solution comprising a colloidal silicate.

16. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 15, wherein said solution of the coating formulation comprises an alkali metal silicate solution.

17. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 10, wherein said coating formulation comprises at least 10 weight percent of a solution comprising a colloidal silicate.

18. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said inorganic filler comprises montmorillonite.

19. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said inorganic filler of the coating formulation has at least one filler material with at least one dimension having a mean value of less than about 200 micrometers.

20. An electrosurgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said inorganic filler of the coating formulation comprises at least one metal and at least one nonmetal material selected from a group consisting of:

aluminum oxides;

zirconium nitrides;

zirconium carbides;

boron carbides;

silicon oxides;

magnesium-zirconium oxides;

zirconium-silicon oxides;

titanium oxides;

tantalum oxides;

tantalum nitrides;

tantalum carbides;

silicon nitrides;

silicon carbides;

tungsten carbides;

titanium nitrides;

titanium carbides;

nibobium nitrides;

niobium carbides;

vanadium nitrides;

vanadium carbides; and

hydroxyapatite.

21. An electrosurgical instrument comprising:

a metal surface portion including at least one edge; and

,

a coating provided on at least a portion of the metal surface portion of the electrosurgical instrument so that at least a portion of the at least one edge of the metal surface has an impedance from the electrosurgical instrument to tissue of less than about 5,000 ohms, wherein the coating is defined by a coating formulation including;

silica;

at least one inorganic filler; and

,

a strong base in an amount so that the coating formulation has a pH of at least 10.5 during at least part of a formulation process; and

,

wherein the coating has a surface free energy of less than about 32 millinewtons/meter.