Techniques to improve polyurethane membranes for implantable glucose sensors
First Claim
1. An electrochemical sensor for measuring an analyte in a bodily fluid, the sensor comprising:
- at least one electrode; and
a membrane disposed on the electrode and configured to control transport of an analyte to the electrode, the membrane comprising;
a matrix comprising a substantially hydrophobic polymer; and
a hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein a hydrophobic component of the hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic component of the substantially hydrophobic polymer have similar backbone structures.
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Abstract
The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electrochemical sensor for measuring an analyte in a bodily fluid, the sensor comprising:
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at least one electrode; and
a membrane disposed on the electrode and configured to control transport of an analyte to the electrode, the membrane comprising;
a matrix comprising a substantially hydrophobic polymer; and
a hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein a hydrophobic component of the hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer and a hydrophobic component of the substantially hydrophobic polymer have similar backbone structures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An electrochemical sensor for measuring an analyte in a bodily fluid, the sensor comprising:
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at least one electrode; and
a membrane disposed over the electrode, the membrane comprising;
a first layer comprising a blend of a substantially hydrophobic polymer and a substantially hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer, and a second layer comprising an enzyme capable of reacting with the analyte, wherein the second layer is more proximal to the electrode than the first layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A device for measuring an analyte in a bodily fluid, the device comprising:
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a sensor configured to measure the analyte or a product of a reaction representative of the analyte; and
a membrane disposed over the sensor, the membrane comprising;
a first layer formed from a physical blend of a substantially hydrophobic polymer and a substantially hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer, and a second layer comprising an enzyme reactive with the analyte, wherein the substantially hydrophobic polymer and the substantially hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer are blended so as to maintain substantial solubility between the substantially hydrophobic polymer and the substantially hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer while forming the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification