Indwelling catheter with stable enzyme coating
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A catheter, comprising:
- an elongated tubular element formed from a polymeric material and adapted for patient placement, said tubular element defining a catheter lumen, anda surface coating applied to said tubular element on at least a portion of the surface thereof, said surface coating including at least one enzyme effective to dissolve occlusions along said catheter lumen, said at least one enzyme comprising a lipolytic enzyme, and means for protecting said enzyme against short-term degradation upon contact with patient body fluids;
said surface coating comprising time release capsules having the enzyme contained within an encapsulant shell of a material soluble in the presence of patient body fluids, said capsules having a variable shell thickness for dissolution in the presence of body fluids, to expose the enzyme therein over an extended period of time.
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Abstract
An improved indwelling catheter adapted for long-term usage includes a stable enzyme coating to prevent occlusion of the catheter lumen. The enzyme coating includes a fibrinolytic and/or lipolytic enzyme incorporated in a catheter coating to resist or control proteolytic degradation, thereby maintaining the enzyme in an active state for dissolving clots and occlusions within the catheter lumen over an extended period of time.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A catheter, comprising:
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an elongated tubular element formed from a polymeric material and adapted for patient placement, said tubular element defining a catheter lumen, and a surface coating applied to said tubular element on at least a portion of the surface thereof, said surface coating including at least one enzyme effective to dissolve occlusions along said catheter lumen, said at least one enzyme comprising a lipolytic enzyme, and means for protecting said enzyme against short-term degradation upon contact with patient body fluids; said surface coating comprising time release capsules having the enzyme contained within an encapsulant shell of a material soluble in the presence of patient body fluids, said capsules having a variable shell thickness for dissolution in the presence of body fluids, to expose the enzyme therein over an extended period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 9)
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6. A method of applying an enzyme coating to a polymeric catheter, said method comprising the steps of:
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forming time release capsules each having at least one lipolytic enzyme within an encapsulant shell of a material hydrolyzable in the presence of patient body fluids, and wherein the capsule shells have a variable shell thickness; and bonding the time release capsules to at least a portion of the surface of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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10. An in vivo medical device, comprising:
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a substrate formed from a polymeric material and adapted for in vivo patient placement; and at least one enzyme on at least a portion of the surface of said substrate, said enzyme being effective in the presence of patient body fluids to dissolve lipid-based occlusions on said substrate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification