In situ apparatus for generating an electrical current in a biological environment
First Claim
1. Apparatus for the in situ generation of an electrical current in a biological environment including electrically conductive tissue and an electrolyte, said current generation apparatus comprising first and second layers of electrically conductive materials of different electrochemical potentials and an insulating third layer intermediate and contiguous said first and second layers, each of said layers having a passage therethrough into which proximate conductive tissue cells can expand to bridge said first and second layers, whereby said apparatus, when immersed in the electrolyte, generates electrolytically an electrical current through the bridging conductive tissue cells.
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Abstract
An apparatus for the in situ generation of an electrical current in a biological environment characterized by including an electrolytic fluid. The apparatus comprises first and second electrodes of differing electrochemical potentials separated by an insulator. The apparatus is adapted to be implanted in the environment. The presence of the electrolytic fluid and formation of a current path by hyperplastic cells bridging the electrodes enables electrolysis to occur and a direct current to pass through the current path to impede hyperplastic cell growth.
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Citations
35 Claims
- 1. Apparatus for the in situ generation of an electrical current in a biological environment including electrically conductive tissue and an electrolyte, said current generation apparatus comprising first and second layers of electrically conductive materials of different electrochemical potentials and an insulating third layer intermediate and contiguous said first and second layers, each of said layers having a passage therethrough into which proximate conductive tissue cells can expand to bridge said first and second layers, whereby said apparatus, when immersed in the electrolyte, generates electrolytically an electrical current through the bridging conductive tissue cells.
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13. A stent assembly for insertion in a vessel having a boundary vessel wall with tissue cells and containing an electrolytic fluid comprising, as a nested structure:
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A. an inner stent formed of a conductive material with a first electrochemical potential, B. an outer stent formed of a conductive material with a second electrochemical potential that differs from the first electrochemical potential, and C. an intermediate insulating means for electrically isolating said inner and outer stents from each other, said stent assembly, in a vessel, having a passage therethrough into which proximate conductive cells can expand, and forming an electrolytic generator when the electrolytic fluid in the vessel contacts said stent assembly and when the conductive tissue cells form a conductive path bridging said inner and outer stents. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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- 21. A method for generating current for transfer through hyperplastic cells that form proximate a vessel in an environment including an electrolytic fluid comprising the step of positioning in the vessel a multiple layer structure having first and second layers of electrically conductive mesh formed of materials of different electrochemical potentials that are insulated from one another, and enabling the hyperplastic cells to bridge the layers in the presence of electrolytic fluid thereby generating an electrical current through the bridge that impedes the growth of the hyperplastic cells.
- 25. Apparatus for the in situ generation of an electrical current in an electrically conductive biological environment with an electrolyte, said current generation apparatus comprising first and second foraminous layers of electrically conductive materials of different electrochemical potentials and a foraminous insulating third layer intermediate said first and second layers whereby said first and second layers, when immersed in the electrolyte become coupled conductively to the biological environment and generate electrolytically an electrical current for transfer through the biological environment.
Specification