Medical instrument for in vivo heat source
First Claim
1. A medical device that is at least partially insertable or implantable into a living human or animal subject to generate heat in vivo within the subject, the medical device comprising:
- an elongate body, sized and shaped to include a biocompatible distal portion that is configured to be insertable or implantable into the subject; and
a matrix of local heat sources, formed on the insertable or implantable biocompatible distal portion of the elongate body, the local heat sources selectively addressable and energizable in location individually or in groups by varying a frequency of an AC electromagnetic input signal delivered to the local heat sources from a proximal end of the elongate body, without requiring concurrent actuation of all of the local heat sources, wherein the local heat sources are selectively addressable and energizable individually or in groups in response to a specified frequency of the AC electromagnetic input signal having a variable frequency for the selectively addressing and energizing of the local heat sources and for using the same addressing and energizing AC electromagnetic input signal to also generate heat by energizing the local heat source; and
wherein ones of the local heat sources include;
an electrical conductor, connected or coupled to receive the same AC electromagnetic input signal; and
a semiconductor, a lossy dielectric, thin-film metal, or a crystalline active substrate, arranged with respect to the electrical conductor to use the same addressing and energizing AC electromagnetic input signal to generate heat in the active substrate in response to the same AC electromagnetic input signal being at the specified frequency.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A biocompatible medical device can be at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject to provide active treatment of biofilm that can occur use within the subject. The medical device can include a catheter, including an interior conduit capable of permitting fluid flow. A heating device can be located on a portion of the catheter to be located within the subject, the heating device including at least a pair of electrodes having a variable spacing therebetween, the variable spacing specified to allow heat to be generated using a time-varying electromagnetic input signal providing a variable frequency to control a variable location along the electrodes at which heat is generated, such as can provide a virtual matrix of local heat sources.
62 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A medical device that is at least partially insertable or implantable into a living human or animal subject to generate heat in vivo within the subject, the medical device comprising:
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an elongate body, sized and shaped to include a biocompatible distal portion that is configured to be insertable or implantable into the subject; and a matrix of local heat sources, formed on the insertable or implantable biocompatible distal portion of the elongate body, the local heat sources selectively addressable and energizable in location individually or in groups by varying a frequency of an AC electromagnetic input signal delivered to the local heat sources from a proximal end of the elongate body, without requiring concurrent actuation of all of the local heat sources, wherein the local heat sources are selectively addressable and energizable individually or in groups in response to a specified frequency of the AC electromagnetic input signal having a variable frequency for the selectively addressing and energizing of the local heat sources and for using the same addressing and energizing AC electromagnetic input signal to also generate heat by energizing the local heat source; and wherein ones of the local heat sources include; an electrical conductor, connected or coupled to receive the same AC electromagnetic input signal; and a semiconductor, a lossy dielectric, thin-film metal, or a crystalline active substrate, arranged with respect to the electrical conductor to use the same addressing and energizing AC electromagnetic input signal to generate heat in the active substrate in response to the same AC electromagnetic input signal being at the specified frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of using a biocompatible medical device that is at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject, the method comprising:
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obtaining or providing the medical device including an elongate body including a matrix of local heat sources selectively addressable and energizable in location by varying a frequency of an AC electromagnetic input signal; and applying the same AC electromagnetic input signal to selectively address and energize local heat sources in the matrix to vary a location of locally generated heat without requiring concurrent energizing of all of the local heat sources in the matrix, the selectively addressing and energizing ones of the local heat sources in the matrix in response to a specified frequency of the same AC electromagnetic input signal having a variable frequency for the selectively addressing and energizing of the ones of the local heat sources and using the same AC electromagnetic input signal to generate heat by energizing the local heat source wherein ones of the local heat sources include; an electrical conductor, connected or coupled to receive the same AC electromagnetic input signal; and a semiconductor, a lossy dielectric, thin-film metal, or a crystalline active substrate, arranged with respect to the electrical conductor to use the same addressing and energizing AC electromagnetic input signal to generate heat in the active substrate in response to the same AC electromagnetic input signal being at the specified frequency. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of using a biocompatible medical device that is at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject, the method comprising:
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obtaining or providing the medical device including an elongate body including a matrix of local heat sources; applying an electromagnetic input signal to selectively energize local heat sources in the matrix to vary a location of locally generated heat without requiring concurrent energizing of all of the local heat sources in the matrix; and applying a DC or slowly varying AC first polarity voltage at a location on the elongate body that is configured to be inserted into subject, the first polarity voltage configured to attract a oppositely charged pathogen toward the elongate body for concurrent or subsequent heat neutralization by the applying an electromagnetic input signal to selectively energize local heat sources in the matrix. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method of using a biocompatible medical device that is at least partially implantable into a living human or animal subject, the method comprising:
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obtaining or providing the medical device including an elongate body including a matrix of local heat sources, wherein the obtaining or providing the medical device comprises the matrix of local heat sources including at least one of;
a pair of electrodes with variable interelectrode spacing;
a planar resonator structure;
or a strip-line structure; andapplying an AC electromagnetic input signal to both selectively address and energize local heat sources in the matrix to vary a location of locally generated heat without requiring concurrent energizing of all of the local heat sources in the matrix wherein ones of the local heat sources include; an electrical conductor, connected or coupled to receive the same AC electromagnetic input signal; and a semiconductor, a lossy dielectric, thin-film metal, or a crystalline active substrate, arranged with respect to the electrical conductor to use the same addressing and energizing AC electromagnetic input signal to generate heat in the active substrate in response to the same AC electromagnetic input signal being at the specified frequency. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification