CHARGED GRAFTS AND METHODS FOR USING THEM

• US 20120185033A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Timothy J. Ryan
• Original Assignee: Timothy J. Ryan
• Inventors: Ryan, Timothy J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,835,646 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2403 with pivoting rigid closure members check valves with hinged closure members in general F16K15/03
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/50 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/507 for artificial blood vessels apparatus for applying cells on a blood vessel prosthesis A61F2/062
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/085 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. lubricating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 33/00 Antithrombogenic treatment of surgical articles, e.g. sutures, catheters, prostheses, or of articles for the manipulation or conditioning of blood; Materials for such treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 33/0005 Use of materials characterised by their function or physical properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3653 Interfaces between patient blood circulation and extra-corporal blood circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3655 Arterio-venous shunts or fistulae
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3659 Cannulae pertaining to extracorporeal circulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/3661 for haemodialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/20 continuous direct currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/205 for promoting a biological process

Abstract

A system for preventing thrombosis in an implantable medical device includes an implantable medical device sized for implantation at least partially within a patient'"'"'s body. The device includes an at least partially electrically conductive portion that is disposed within a patient'"'"'s body upon implantation, an electrode coupled to the electrically conductive portion of the device; and a power source coupled to the electrode. The power source provides a negative electric charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion for an indefinite period of time. The device may be configured to resist thrombosis, infection, and/or undesired tissue growth via the charged conductive portion once implanted. Exemplary embodiments of the implantable medical device include a hemodialysis vasculature graft, a dialysis catheter, a coronary artery, and a heart valve.

Claims

1. A system for preventing at least one of infection, thrombosis, and undesired tissue growth in an implantable medical device, comprising:

an implantable medical device sized for implantation at least partially within a patient'"'"'s body, the device comprising an at least partially electrically conductive portion that is disposed within a patient'"'"'s body upon implantation; and

a power source coupled to the electrode for providing an electric charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured to provide a negative electric charge at least part of the time to the at least partially electrically conductive portion that is between 0 and −

0.5 volts.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is configured for maintaining a negative charge on the at least partially electrically conductive portion for repelling negatively charged cells from the at least partially electrically conductive portion.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a battery and a circuit for controlling flow from the battery to the at least partially conductive portion.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the circuit comprises one of an inverting operational amplifier and a voltage divider.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least partially electrically conductive portion comprises a charged conductor disposed below exposed surfaces of the medical device, wherein the charged conductor is configured to electrically polarize the surface of the medical device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least partially electrically conductive portion comprises a conductive surface of the implantable medical device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least partially electrically conductive portion comprises a semi-conductive surface of the implantable medical device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a heart valve, and wherein the heart valve comprises a frame and one or more valve elements.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein one or more valve elements comprise a combination of an electrically conductive material and a pyrolytic carbon material.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a vascular graft, and wherein the vascular graft comprises an elongate tubular member including proximal and distal ends and an at least partially electrically conductive layer coating at least one of the distal and proximal ends.

12-15. -15. (canceled)

16. An implantable medical assembly for resisting thrombosis, comprising:

an implantable mechanical heart valve comprising a frame and one or more valve elements, the one or more valve elements comprising an at least partially electrically conductive portion that is disposed within a patient'"'"'s body upon implantation;

an electrode coupled to the at least partially electrically conductive portion; and

a power source coupled to the electrode for providing a negative electric charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion.

17. The medical assembly of claim 16, wherein the power source is configured to maintain a substantially constant electric charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion that is between 0 and −

0.5 volts.

18-22. -22. (canceled)

23. An implantable medical apparatus for resisting thrombosis, comprising:

an implantable vascular graft comprising an elongate tubular member including proximal and distal ends;

an electrode coupled to the at least partially electrically conductive portion; and

a power source coupled to the electrode for providing a negative electric charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion.

24-34. -34. (canceled)

35. A method for preventing thrombosis on an implantable device in a body, the method comprising:

implanting the device within a patient'"'"'s body, the device comprising an at least partially electrically conductive portion, and a power source coupled to the at least partially electrically conductive portion; and

applying a negative electrical charge to the at least partially electrically conductive portion for an indefinite time to prevent thrombosis adjacent the at least partially electrically conductive portion.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein implanting the device comprises:

implanting an implant comprising the at least partially electrically conductive portion at a first location within the patient'"'"'s body;

implanting the power source at a second location within the patient'"'"'s body; and

coupling the power source to the implant.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the power source is implanted subcutaneously.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the implant is coupled to a negative terminal of the power source, and wherein a positive terminal of the power source is coupled to the patient'"'"'s body such that the resulting circuit includes a portion of the patient'"'"'s body.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the implant is secured to the vasculature of the patient'"'"'s body.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the implant comprises a tubular graft, and wherein the tubular graft is secured within a body lumen of the patient'"'"'s body.

41-48. -48. (canceled)