Non-irritating antimicrobial coating for medical implants and a process for preparing same

• US 5,984,905 A
• Filed: 03/18/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Dearnaley, Geoffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): PADGETT, MARIANNE L
• Application Number:
  US08/820,055
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 427/2.1, 427/2.12, 427/2.24, 427/2.26, 427/523, 427/524, 427/527, 427/528, 427/530, 427/531, 427/533, 427/566, 427/581, 427/595, 427/249, 427/250, 427/255.1 , 427/2.25, 427/249.7, 623/11, 623/66, 623/901, 623/1, 623/2, 623/16, 623/18, 623/21, 623/22, 623/23, 604/265, 424/423
• US Class Current: 604/265
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00574 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of carbon, e.g. of pyrocarbon
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/303 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/306 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0605 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/26 Deposition of carbon only
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/486 using ion beam radiation

Abstract

The present invention provides a process of forming an antimicrobial coating on a surface of a medical implant, the coating comprising an antimicrobially effective amount of antimicrobial metal atoms incorporated into a coating of amorphous carbonaceous material.

Claims

1. A medical implant comprising a substrate bearing an amorphous diamond-like carbon coating comprising elements other than silicon and comprising atoms of an antimicrobial metal selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, and combinations thereof sufficiently dispersed in said diamond like carbon to provide controlled release of said metal from said coating at a rate effective to impart antimicrobial protection, but insufficient to irritate tissue which comes into contact with said surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said amorphous diamond-like carbon coating consists essentially of said atoms of said antimicrobial metal dispersed in said diamond like carbon.

3. The medical implant of claim 1 wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal alloys, polyethylenes, polymers of ether and ketone monomers, and ceramics.

4. A medical implant comprising a substrate bearing an amorphous diamond-like carbon coating comprising elements other than silicon and comprising a dispersion of atoms of an antimicrobial metal in said diamond-like carbon wherein said antimicrobial metal atoms are sufficiently dispersed in and surrounded by said diamond like carbon to provide controlled release of said metal from said coating at a rate effective to impart antimicrobial protection, but insufficient to irritate tissue which comes into contact with said surface.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said amorphous diamond-like carbon coating consists essentially of said atoms of said antimicrobial metal dispersed in said diamond like carbon.

6. The medical implant of claim 4 wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal alloys, polyethylenes, polymers of ether and ketone monomers, and ceramics.

7. A medical implant comprising an amorphous diamond-like carbon coating comprising elements other than silicon and comprising a dispersion of atoms of silver in said diamond like carbon wherein said silver atoms are sufficiently dispersed in said diamond like carbon coating to provide controlled release of said silver from said coating at a rate effective to impart antimicrobial protection, but insufficient to irritate tissue which comes into contact with said surface.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said amorphous diamond-like carbon coating consists essentially of said atoms of said antimicrobial metal dispersed in said diamond like carbon.

9. The medical implant of claim 7 wherein said substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal alloys, polyethylenes, polymers of ether and ketone monomers, and ceramics.