Bactericidal coatings for implants

• US 5,474,797 A
• Filed: 02/10/1994
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spire Corporation
• Original Assignee: Spire Corporation
• Inventors: Tobin, Eric J., Barry, John E., Farivar, Robert S., Sioshansi, Piran
• Primary Examiner(s): DUDASH, DIANA L
• Application Number:
  US08/195,822
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 427/2.12, 427/2.24, 427/2.28, 427/525, 427/528, 427/531, 427/2.3
• US Class Current: 427/2.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/60 for external osteosynthesis, e.g. distractors, contractors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/72 Intramedullary pins, nails or other devices A61B17/744 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/20 Epiglottis; Larynxes; Tracheae combined with larynxes or for use therewith tracheae, bronchi per se A61F2/04 ; tracheostomy tubes A61M16/0465
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3094 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/102 Metals or metal compounds, e.g. salts such as bicarbonates, carbonates, oxides, zeolites, silicates
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/404 Biocides, antimicrobial agents, antiseptic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/54 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L27/227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/16 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L29/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/16 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L31/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0056 provided with an antibacterial agent, e.g. by coating, residing in the polymer matrix or releasing an agent out of a reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0017 specially adapted for long-term hygiene care, e.g. urethral or indwelling catheters to prevent infections

Abstract

Polymeric implants provided with coatings of bactericidal compounds in the form of ionized atoms by a vapor process. The polymeric implants include products designed to penetrate or enter the body, such as catheters, shunts connectors and the like. Coatings of bactericidal compounds on the polymeric implants are intended to make their use safe. The coatings are formed thereon in the form of ionized atoms of the compounds by ion-beam-assisted deposition in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is provided, inter alia, with an evaporator and an ion source mounted in operative association therein, including means for rotatably mounting a plurality of polymeric implants for exposure to the evaporator and the ion source.

Claims

1. A method for depositing a bactericidal coating on a polymeric biomedical implant by ion beam assisted deposition, comprising

introducing a polymeric biomedical implant into an evacuated chamber,

evaporating a bactericidal evaporant within the chamber to form a vapor of said

evaporant proximate to said polymeric biomedical implant,

introducing accelerated ions into the chamber, and

bombarding at least a portion of said polymeric biomedical implant with the accelerated ions to drive said evaporant into said polymeric biomedical implant to form the bactericidal coating.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises continuing the evaporation and bombardment steps until the bactericidal coating has a thickness of at least about 0.01 microns.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises continuing the evaporation and bombardment steps until the bactericidal coating is formed having a thickness ranging between about 0.01 microns and about 10 microns.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of bombarding the polymeric biomedical implant with the accelerated ions further comprises bombarding the polymeric biomedical implant with an ion beam having a beam energy of at least about 200 eV.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of evaporating the bactericidal evaporant comprises evaporating a metallic evaporant.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the metallic evaporant comprises at least one of silver, platinum, iridium, gold, mercury, copper and iodine.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of bombarding the implant with accelerated ions comprises bombarding the implant with at least one of argon, oxygen, neon, and helium ions.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the polymeric biomedical implant is one of a catheter, a stent, a faryngectomy flap, a tracheostomy tube, a hydrocephalic shunt and a percutaneous connector.