Parylene-coated components for inflatable penile prosthesis

• US 20030220540A1
• Filed: 05/05/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ams Research Corporation (Endo International PLC)
• Inventors: Kuyava, Charles C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/26 Penis implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 65/04 Polyxylenes

Abstract

A penile prosthesis beneficially includes components coated with parylene in order to increase product life and reduce wear. In particular, components of the inflatable cylinder benefits from having been coated with parylene. The parylene-coated cylinder components are resistant to wear generated by pinching of the cylinder when the cylinder is in a flaccid state. The parylene-coated cylinder may be formed by masking a tube of silicone (or other appropriate material) and vapor coating the silicone tube with parylene. Further, where a double walled cylinder is used, each of two tubes making up the double wall cylinder can have their surfaces coated with parylene, thus increasing cylinder life and avoiding wear.

Claims

1. A penile prosthesis comprising:

a reservoir;

a pump and valve assembly coupled to the reservoir;

at least one cylinder fluidly coupled to the pump and valve assembly wherein at least a portion of the cylinder is coated with parylene.

2. The penile prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the cylinder is coated on both an inner surface and an outer surface with parylene.

3. The penile prosthesis of claim 2 wherein the entire inner surface and entire outer surface of the cylinder are coated with parylene.

4. The penile prosthesis of claim 2 wherein a portion of the cylinder is uncoated while the remainder of the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder are coated with parylene.

5. The penile prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising:

a fluid passageway coupling the pump and valve assembly to the cylinder, wherein the fluid passageway is at least partially coated with parylene.

6. The penile prosthesis of claim 1, further comprising:

a reservoir tube coupling the reservoir to the pump and valve assembly, wherein the reservoir tube is at least partially coated with parylene.

7. The penile prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the cylinder is made of silicone.

8. The penile prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the cylinder is made of polyurethane.

9. The penile prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the reservoir is at least partially coated with parylene.

10. The penile prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the pump and valve assembly is at least partially coated with parylene.

11. The penile prosthesis of claim 1 wherein the cylinder further includes a front and rear end cap.

12. The penile prosthesis of claim 11 wherein the front and rear end cap are coated with parylene.

13. The penile prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the parylene coating is between 0.00004″

-0.000120″

thick.

14. The penile prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the parylene coating is between 0.00004″

-0.00008″

thick.

15. The penile prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the parylene coating is about 0.00006″

thick.

16. The penile prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the reservoir and the at least one cylinder are formed as a single, integral assembly.

17. A penile prosthesis comprising:

an inflatable cylinder wherein the cylinder is at least partially coated with a substantially smooth and slippery material.

18. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the material is parylene.

19. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the cylinder is coated on both an inner and outer surface.

20. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the entire inner and outer surface of the cylinder is coated.

21. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein a portion of the cylinder is uncoated while the remainder of the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder are coated.

22. The penile prosthesis of claim 17, further comprising:

a fluid passageway coupling a pump and valve assembly to the cylinder, wherein the fluid passageway is at least partially coated with the material.

23. The penile prosthesis of claim 17, further comprising:

a reservoir tube coupling a reservoir to a pump and valve assembly, wherein the reservoir tube is at least partially coated.

24. The penile prosthesis of claim 23 wherein the reservoir is at least partially coated with the material.

25. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the cylinder is made of silicone.

26. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the cylinder is made of polyurethane.

27. The penile prosthesis of claim 17 wherein the cylinder further includes a front and rear end cap.

28. The penile prosthesis of claim 24 wherein the front and rear end cap are coated with parylene.

29. A method of making a wear resistant cylinder for a penile prosthesis comprising:

providing a length of tubing;

coating at least a portion of the tubing with a substantially smooth and slippery material;

sealing the ends of the tubing.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the tubing is silicone.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the tubing is polyurethane.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein an inner and outer surface of the tubing is coated.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

masking a portion of the tubing to prevent the portion from being coated.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein masking includes:

inserting an inner insert into at least a portion of the tubing; and

wrapping an outer member around the tubing for at least a portion of the tubing.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the outer member is shrinkable material which shrinks in diameter when heated.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the outer member is synthetic latex.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein coating includes placing the tubing into a vapor deposition chamber and introducing the material as a vapor into the chamber.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the material is parylene.

39. The method of claim 29 where sealing the ends includes affixing a front and rear cap to the tubing.

40. A penile prosthesis comprising:

a reservoir;

a pump assembly fluidly coupled to the reservoir by a first interconnecting tube;

an inflatable cylinder fluidly coupled to the pump by a second interconnecting tube, wherein at least a portion of the prosthesis is coated with parylene.

41. The penile prosthesis of claim 40, wherein the parylene coating is between 0.00004″

-0.000120″

thick.

42. The penile prosthesis of claim 40, wherein the parylene coating is between 0.00004″

-0.00008″

thick.

43. The penile prosthesis of claim 40, wherein the parylene coating is about 0.00006″

thick.

44. The penile prosthesis of claim 40, wherein the reservoir and the inflatable cylinder are formed as a single, integral assembly.

45. A penile prosthesis comprising:

a reservoir;

a pump and valve assembly coupled to the reservoir;

at least one cylinder fluidly coupled to the pump and valve assembly wherein at least a portion of the cylinder is coated with a material having a low coefficient of friction.

46. The penile prosthesis of claim 45 wherein the cylinder is coated on both an inner and outer surface with the material.

47. The penile prosthesis of claim 45 wherein the entire inner and outer surface of the cylinder is coated with the material.

48. The penile prosthesis of claim 45 wherein a portion of the cylinder is uncoated while the remainder of the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder are coated with the material.

49. The penile prosthesis of claim 45, further comprising:

a fluid passageway coupling the pump and valve assembly to the cylinder, wherein the fluid passageway is at least partially coated with the material.

50. The penile prosthesis of claim 45, further comprising:

a reservoir tube coupling the reservoir to the pump and valve assembly, wherein the reservoir tube is at least partially coated with the material.

51. The penile prosthesis of claim 50 wherein the reservoir is at least partially coated with the material.

52. The penile prosthesis of claim 45 wherein the cylinder further includes a front and rear end cap.

53. The penile prosthesis of claim 52 wherein the front and rear end cap are coated with the material.

54. The penile prosthesis of claim 45 wherein the material is parylene.

55. The penile prosthesis of claim 45 wherein the reservoir and the at least one cylinder are formed as a single, integral assembly.