Implantable medical device with electrode lead having improved surface characteristics
First Claim
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1. A lead for implantation having an outer covering comprising a polymeric material, wherein an exterior surface of the outer covering is improved with respect to its surface characteristics by a treatment comprising:
- exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a glow discharge zone, wherein the glow discharge is produced with an inert gas excited by power provided by a power source; and
exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a monomer deposition zone, wherein the monomer deposition is accomplished by introducing a monomer in the monomer deposition zone and utilizing power provided by a power source to initiate poilymerization of the monomer to form a plasma deposited coating on the polymeric surface.
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Abstract
An implantable medical device has an electrode lead having an outer surface of a polymeric material which has been treated in an inert gas atmosphere by a glow discharge to deposit a monomer substance thereon to produce an outer surface lower in resistance to movement within the body tissue of a patient than untreated material.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A lead for implantation having an outer covering comprising a polymeric material, wherein an exterior surface of the outer covering is improved with respect to its surface characteristics by a treatment comprising:
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exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a glow discharge zone, wherein the glow discharge is produced with an inert gas excited by power provided by a power source; and exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a monomer deposition zone, wherein the monomer deposition is accomplished by introducing a monomer in the monomer deposition zone and utilizing power provided by a power source to initiate poilymerization of the monomer to form a plasma deposited coating on the polymeric surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An implantable medical device comprising at least one electrical lead comprising an electrode and an outer covering comprising a polymeric material, wherein an exterior surface of the outer covering is improved with respect to its surface characteristics by a treatment comprising:
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exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a glow discharge zone, wherein the glow discharge is produced with an inert gas excited by power provided by a power source; and exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a monomer deposition zone, wherein the monomer deposition is accomplished by introducing a monomer in the monomer deposition zone and utilizing power provided by a power source to initiate polymerization of the monomer to form a plasma deposited coating on the polymeric surface.
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7. The implantable medical device 6 wherein the inert gas in the glow discharge zone comprises an inert gas selected from the group of nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, and mixtures thereof.
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8. The implantable medical device 6 wherein the inert gas comprises argon.
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9. The implantable medical device 6 wherein the monomer comprises a compound comprising:
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a polymerizable structure selected from the group of a carbon-carbon double or triple bond, a saturated cyclic group, an arylene group, and mixtures thereof; and one or more pendant functional groups selected from a group of an amine, a hydroxyl, a carbonyl, a carboxylic, an amide, a sulfone, an ether, an ester, an epoxide, and mixtures thereof.
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10. The implantable medical dervice 6 wherein the monomer comprises N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone.
Specification