Biocompatible carbon prosthetic devices

• US 3,952,334 A
• Filed: 11/29/1974
• Issued: 04/27/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: General Atomics, Inc.
• Inventors: Bokros, Jack C., Horsley, Jere B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frinks, Ronald L.
• Application Number:
  US05/527,971
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 3/1, 3/1.5, 3/1.7, 3/1.9-1.913, 128/92 C, 128/92 CA, 128/92 R, 128/92 BC, 128/1 D, 32/10 A
• US Class Current: 623/11.11
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 33/025 Carbon; Graphite
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 79/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors

Abstract

A biocompatible prosthetic device comprising a metal alloy substrate, an intermediate layer of a high-temperature polymer which is strongly bonded thereto, and an exterior coating of dense vapor-deposited carbon. The carbon layer is thromboresistant and strongly adheres to the intermediate layer which in turn strongly adheres to the metal alloy. The polymer may be the reaction product of pyromelletic dianhydride and a diaminodiphenyl ether, and the carbon may be deposited under high vacuum conditions from a suitably heated carbon source, e.g., by ion-plating or vacuum vapor deposition.

Claims

1. A biocompatible prosthetic device comprising a metal alloy substrate, an intermediate, continuous layer of an organic high-temperature polymer which is strongly bonded thereto, and an exterior in-situ-deposited coating of continuous dense vapor-deposited carbon at least 1000A thick which carbon layer is biocompatible and strongly adherent to said intermediate layer as a result of its in situ vapor deposition.

2. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said coating is not more than about 12,000A thick.

3. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polymer is a polyimide resin.

4. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said polymer is a poly(amide-imide) resin.

5. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said polymer is the reaction product of pyromelletic dianhydride and a diaminodiphenyl ether.

6. A biocompatible prosthetic device comprising a substrate, an intermediate continuous layer of an organic high-temperature polymer consisting essentially of a linear high-molecular-weight aromatic nitrogen-linked polymer, said intermediate layer being strongly bonded to said substrate, and an exterior coating at least 1000A thick of continuous, dense vapordeposited carbon, said carbon layer being deposited in situ upon said intermediate layer and thereby strongly adherent thereto.

7. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 6 wherein said substrate is a metal alloy.

8. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said high temperature polymer is selected from the group consisting of ordered copolyamides, all-aromatic polybenzimidazoles, polyoxadiazoles, poly(N-phenyl triazoles), polybenzobenzimidazoles, polyimides and poly(amide-imide) resins.

9. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said polymer is a polyimide resin.

10. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said polymer is a poly(amide-imide) resin.

11. A prosthetic device in accordance with claim 7 wherein said polymer is the reaction product of pyromelletic dianhydride and a diaminodiphenyl ether.