Self-sterilizing device

• US 20090048648A1
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rivet, Dennis J. II, Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Dacey, Ralph G. JR.
• Application Number:
  US11/894,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20090048648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/88
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30 Joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/48 Operating or control means, e.g. from outside the body, control of sphincters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/481 Acoustic or audible means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/482 Electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30087 piezoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0097 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/0011 using physical methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/08 Radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/14 Plasma, i.e. ionised gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/001 Apparatus specially adapted for cleaning or sterilising syringes or needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/205 for promoting a biological process
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An insertable medical element may be supportive of evanescent energy for sterilization of a biomaterial. A system including an insertable medical element supportive of evanescent energy may include an energy source, where the energy source may be emissive of electromagnetic or plasmon energy, a sensor such as a surface plasmon resonance sensor, and/or it may include an imager.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a sterile region proximate to an insertable:

medical element, comprising;

generating at least one surface region of the insertable medical element an evanescent field having properties selected to substantially disable biomaterial in the at least one surface region.

2. The method of claim 1 further including:

shielding a region external to the insertable medical element from electromagnetic energy.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising blocking the evanescent field at least one location on the at least one surface region of the insertable medical element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the evanescent field includes a plasmon field.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating at least one surface region of the insertable medical element an evanescent field includes:

directing ultraviolet energy through a portion of the insertable medical element; and

generating the evanescent field responsive to the ultraviolet energy.

8. The method of claim 6 further including inhibiting transmission of the ultraviolet energy out of the insertable medical element.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an exposure for sterilization.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein determining an exposure for sterilization includes determining an evanescent field amplitude and an evanescent field excitation duration for sterilization.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein determining an exposure for sterilization further includes determining an evanescent field energy range for sterilization.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein generating at least one surface region of the insertable medical element an evanescent field includes generating at least one surface region of the insertable medical element an evanescent field with the determined evanescent field amplitude and for the determined evanescent field excitation duration.

52. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a signal indicative of the evanescent field properties.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising altering the evanescent field properties according to the received signal.

56. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating at least one surface region of the insertable medical element an evanescent field having properties selected to substantially disable biomaterial in response to user directives.

57. The method of claim 1 further comprising sensing a property of the biomaterial.

58. The method of claim 1 further comprising imaging the insertable medical element.

59. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the evanescent field in response to the presence of the biomaterial.

60. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the evanescent field in response to a sensed parameter of the biomaterial.

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63. A method, comprising:

guiding electromagnetic energy along a fluid passageway at least partially within a patient;

generating plasmon energy along the fluid passageway responsive to the guided electromagnetic energy; and

delivering a biomaterial through the fluid passageway after or during the generating plasmon energy along the fluid passageway responsive to the guided electromagnetic energy.

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75. An apparatus, comprising:

a first biofluid guiding conduit extending along a path from a first location to a second location, wherein at least a portion of the first biofluid guiding conduit is insertable into a patient;

a guiding structure configured to guide electromagnetic energy proximate to at least a portion of the path; and

a conversion structure operative to convert electromagnetic energy to plasmon energy, the conversion structure being positioned to receive the guided electromagnetic energy and to provide the plasmon energy to the portion of the path.

81. The apparatus of claim 75 further comprising a biocompatible material in intimate contact with a portion of the first biofluid guiding conduit.

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102. A system comprising:

a light source having an output energy;

an insertable medical element supportive of evanescent energy; and

an evanescent field generator coupled to receive the output energy and responsive to produce the evanescent energy within or proximate a biomaterial at a sterilization level.

106. The system of claim 102 wherein the evanescent energy includes plasmon energy.

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