Iontophoretic material

• US 5,741,224 A
• Filed: 04/16/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bridge Blood Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Implemed, Inc.
• Inventors: Ludin, Lev, Weitzner, Barry D., Milder, Fredric L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAO, ELLEN
• Application Number:
  US08/632,843
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 604/265, 604/20-21
• US Class Current: 604/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30767 Special external or bone-contacting surface, e.g. coating for improving bone ingrowth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3662 Femoral shafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30052 differing in electric or magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30064 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of biodegradable material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30677 Means for introducing or releasing pharmaceutical products, e.g. antibiotics, into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30929 having at least two superposed coatings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0043 differing in electric properties, e.g. in electrical conductivity, in galvanic properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00113 Silver or Ag-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00149 Platinum or Pt-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/0052 Coating made of silver or Ag-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00562 Coating made of platinum or Pt-based alloys

Abstract

An iontophoretic material is provided that uses controlled electrical current derived from two dissimilar galvanic materials to drive oligodynamic metal ions into solution to kill microorganisms on and near the material. Iontophoretic structures or material associated with a medical device are partially or completely covered with one or more covering layers that alter physical, mechanical, chemical, or biological properties of the device and/or the iontophoretic material. In addition to being partially coated or completely enveloped by iontophoretic material or structures, all or a portion of a medical device can be integrated with, impregnated by, or fabricated from an iontophoretic material.

Claims

1. An iontophoretic structure comprising:

an ion permeable base material having an outer, exposed surface; and

a plurality of discrete iontophoretic bodies embedded within said base material beneath the outer, exposed surface of said base material, each of said discrete iontophoretic bodies releasing ions that migrate through said ion permeable base material to said outer, exposed surface of said base material;

wherein each iontophoretic body comprises two dissimilar metals.

2. The iontophoretic structure of claim 1, wherein said base material is electrically conductive.

3. The iontophoretic structure of claim 1, wherein said base material is not electrically conductive.

4. The iontophoretic structure of claim 1, wherein said base material imparts a stable configuration to said iontophoretic material.

5. The iontophoretic structure of claim 1, wherein said base material is optically clear.

6. The iontophoretic structure of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete iontophoretic bodies comprises a plurality of substantially planar metal elements disposed in a layered configuration.

7. The iontophoretic structure of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete iontophoretic bodies comprises a first metal at least partially enveloping a second metal.

8. The iontophoretic structure of claim 7, wherein each of said discrete iontophoretic bodies comprises silver at least partially overcoated with platinum.

9. The iontophoretic structure of claim 7, wherein each of said discrete iontophoretic bodies comprises platinum at least partially overcoated with silver.