Bioactive shunt
First Claim
1. A shunt, comprising:
- an elongated tubular element made of biocompatible material and adapted at least for insertion into the brain of a living organism;
a surface coating applied solely to the interior lumen surface, said surface coating comprising a matrix-forming system; and
at least one enzyme impregnated in said coating, wherein said enzyme requires a specific physical configuration for activation wherein said configuration is lost upon dislocation of said enzyme from said coating.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a shunt, and a method for treating catheters, more particularly shunts, wherein the catheter is made of a biocompatible material and adapted at least for insertion into the brain of a living organism and enzymes are impregnated, either directly or through a matrix forming system, into the interior of the lumen of the catheter. The enzymes impregnated have at least one of the following characteristics: (1) they require a confirmational form and either completely or substantially lose their activity upon dislocation from the interior of the lumen; (2) they require the presence of co-factors for activation which co-factors are also present in the interior of the lumen but are not otherwise present in the biological system in sufficient quantity to excite activation of the impregnated enzymes.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A shunt, comprising:
-
an elongated tubular element made of biocompatible material and adapted at least for insertion into the brain of a living organism;
a surface coating applied solely to the interior lumen surface, said surface coating comprising a matrix-forming system; and
at least one enzyme impregnated in said coating, wherein said enzyme requires a specific physical configuration for activation wherein said configuration is lost upon dislocation of said enzyme from said coating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
an impregnated cofactor for said enzyme wherein said enzyme further requires said cofactor for activation.
-
-
3. The shunt of claim 1 or 2, wherein said matrix-forming system is a polymer.
-
4. The shunt of claim 1 or 2, wherein said matrix-forming system is a hydrogel.
-
6. The shunt of claim 1, 5 or 2, wherein said enzyme is a proteolytic enzyme from the group of lipases, urokinase, trypsin, collengenase.
-
7. The shunt of claim 6 wherein said matrix-forming system is a polymer.
-
8. The shunt of claim 1, 5 or 2, wherein said enzyme is a bacterial enzyme.
-
9. The shunt of claim 8, wherein said matrix-forming system is a polymer.
-
5. A shunt, comprising:
-
an elongated tubular element made of a biocompatible polymer and adapted at least for insertion into the brain of a living organism; and
at least one enzyme impregnated solely in the interior lumen surface in said biocompatible polymer, wherein said enzyme requires a specific physical configuration for activation wherein said configuration is lost upon dislocation of said enzyme from said biocompatible polymer.
-
-
10. A method for reducing the obstruction of a catheter lumen, comprising:
-
coating solely the interior surface of said catheter lumen with a matrix-forming system;
impregnating at least one enzyme in said matrix-forming system, wherein said enzyme requires a specific physical configuration for activation wherein said configuration is lost upon dislocation of said enzyme from said matrix-forming system. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
impregnating a cofactor for said enzyme wherein said enzyme requires said co-factor for activation.
-
-
12. A method of claim 10, wherein said enzyme is a proteolytic enzyme from the group of lipases, urokinase, trypsin, collengenase.
-
13. A method of claim 10, wherein said enzyme is a bacterial enzyme.
-
14. A method of claim 10, wherein said matrix-forming system is a polymer.
-
15. A method of claims 10, 11, 12 or 13, wherein said matrix-forming system is a hydrogel.
-
16. A shunt, comprising:
-
an elongated tubular element made of a biocompatible polymer and adapted at least for insertion into the brain of a living organism;
at least one enzyme impregnated solely in the interior lumen surface in said biocompatible polymer, wherein said enzyme requires a specific physical configuration for activation wherein said configuration is lost upon dislocation of said enzyme from said biocompatible polymer; and
an impregnated cofactor for said enzyme wherein said enzyme further requires said cofactor for activation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 19, 20)
-
-
18. The shunt of claim l6, wherein said enzyme is a bacterial enzyme.
Specification