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Sustained release bactericidal cannula

  • US 5,261,896 A
  • Filed: 12/13/1991
  • Issued: 11/16/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A sustained release bactericidal cannula, through which aqueous biological fluids can pass for residence within a portion of a human body said bactericidal cannula comprising:

  • a tube having an inner surface, defining an internal lumen, and an outer surface, said tube having a polymeric matrix and an antibacterial agent residing within at least a portion of the polymeric matrix;

    wherein the polymeric matrix includes cured silicone rubber, said antibacterial agent is a finely divided nitrofuran compound which is soluble in water and effective to prevent proliferation of certain bacteria in an otherwise, growth supporting, aqueous environment when dissolved in the aqueous environment to the limit of its solubility therein at 37°

    C., the solubility of the nitrofuran compound is about 0.2% by weight or less in water at a pH of about 6 and a temperature of about 25°

    C., and the antibacterial agent can diffuse out of the polymeric matrix and into an aqueous biological environment when the polymeric matrix comes into contact with the aqueous biological environment; and

    wherein at least a finite portion of the polymeric matrix proximate the outer surface includes an amount of from about 10 to about 60% by weight of the nitrofuran compound, and the amount of the nitrofuran compound in the finite portion of the polymeric matrix, and the solubility of the nitrofuran compound, cooperate to provide a potential for a sustained release diffusion of the antibacterial agent into the aqueous biological fluids within the human body, during normal therapeutic use of the cannula within the human body, so long as the aqueous biological fluids are not saturated with the antibacterial agent, such that the antibacterial agent within the finite portion of the polymeric matrix can continue to diffuse into the aqueous biological fluids within the human body in an amount effective to prevent proliferation of certain bacteria immediately adjacent to the cannula in aqueous biological environments for a period of not less than about three weeks.

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