Coated medical devices

• US 6,540,745 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aeromet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aeromet Corporation
• Inventors: Loeser, Edward A., Fairbourn, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US09/846,653
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/42, 606/45, 606/48-52, 606/32
• US Class Current: 606/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00849 with respect to tissue, e.g. hollow organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00853 low friction, hydrophobic and corrosion-resistant fluorocarbon resin coating (ptf, ptfe, polytetrafluoroethylene)
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00107 Coatings on the energy applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00136 with polymer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1412 Blade

Abstract

Medical devices, such as scalpels (10), needles (30) and electrosurgical knife tips (50), are provided with a silane coating (20) directly against the parent metal (16, 33, 63) of the tissue-contacting (15) distal ends (14, 37, 60) thereof whereby to impart advantageous non-stick and/or conductive properties thereto.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical knife tip having a proximal end adapted to be held and a distal end with an active electrode area comprised of a parent metal extending from the distal end and adapted to contact tissue, and a coating consisting essentially of a trialkoxy silane directly against the parent metal of at least a selected portion of the active electrode area.

2. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the active electrode area having a flat surface and an edge.

3. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 2, the silane extending over the edge.

4. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 2, the silane extending over the surface.

5. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 4, the silane extending over the flat surface and the edge.

6. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1 the silane being halogen-free.

7. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the silane being a polyfunctional silane.

8. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the silane being directly against the entire active electrode area.

9. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the active electrode area having a ball nose shape.

10. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the active electrode area having a hook end.

11. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the active electrode area having a needle.

12. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the active electrode area having a metal shell insulatively separated from a metal inner rod element.

13. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 1, the active electrode area having a pair of blades.

14. An electrosurgical knife tip having a proximal end adapted to be held and a distal end with an active electrode area comprised of a parent metal extending from the distal end and adapted to contact tissue, and a halogen-free, polyfunctional silane coating directly against the parent metal of at least a selected portion of the active electrode area.

15. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the active electrode area having a flat surface and an edge.

16. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 15, the silane coating extending over the edge.

17. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 15, the silane coating extending over the surface.

18. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 17, the silane coating extending over the flat surface and the edge.

19. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the silane coating being directly against the entire active electrode area.

20. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the active electrode area having a ball nose shape.

21. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the active electrode area having a hook end.

22. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the active electrode area having a needle.

23. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the active electrode area having a metal shell insulatively separated from a metal inner rod element.

24. The electrosurgical knife tip of claim 14, the active electrode area having a pair of blades.

25. A medical device defined by an elongated member having a proximal portion adapted to be handled and a distal portion joined to the proximal portion, the distal portion comprised of a parent metal and adapted to contact human tissue, the medical device further having an in-situ polymerized monomeric trialkoxy silane coating on at least a selected aspect of the distal portion of the elongated member and directly against the parent metal thereof.

26. The medical device of claim 25 defined by a scalpel, the distal end of which defines a cutting end having a knife edge.

27. The medical device of claim 25 defined by a needle, the proximal end of which has a mounting hub and the distal end of which includes a sharpened point.

28. The medical device of claim 25, the silane coating being halogen-free.

29. The medical device of claim 25, the silane coating being a polyfunctional silane.

30. The medical device of claim 25, defined by a Bovie tip, the distal end of which has an active electrode area.

31. A medical device defined by an elongated member having a proximal portion adapted to be handled and a distal portion joined to the proximal portion, the distal portion comprised of a parent metal and adapted to contact human tissue, the medical device further having a coating consisting essentially of a trialkoxy silane on at least a selected aspect of the distal portion of the elongated member and directly against the parent metal thereof.

32. The medical device of claim 31 defined by a scalpel, the distal end of which defines a cutting end having a knife edge.

33. The medical device of claim 31 defined by a needle, the proximal end of which has a mounting hub and the distal end of which includes a sharpened point.

34. The medical device of claim 31, the silane being halogen-free.

35. The medical device of claim 31, the silane being a polyfunctional silane.

36. A medical device defined by an elongated member having a proximal portion adapted to be handled and a distal portion joined to the proximal portion, the distal portion comprised of a parent metal and adapted to contact human tissue, the medical device further having a halogen-free, polyfunctional silane coating on at least a selected aspect of the distal portion of the elongated member and directly against the parent metal thereof.

37. The medical device of claim 36 defined by a scalpel, the distal end of which defines a cutting end having a knife edge.

38. The medical device of claim 36 defined by a needle, the proximal end of which has a mounting hub and the distal end of which includes a sharpened point.

39. A method of improving an electrosurgical knife tip having an active electrode area defined by a parent metal, the method comprising applying a coating consisting essentially of a trialkoxy silane directly onto the parent metal over at least a selected portion of the active electrode area without application of any precursor thereto.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the active electrode is first polished prior to apply the coating thereon.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the active electrode is polished to a smooth surface using 600 grit abrasive.

42. The method of claim 39 further comprising applying the silane in a liquid state and then drying same.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising selecting a polyfunctional silane as the liquid silane to apply.

44. The method of claim 42 further comprising selecting a halogen-free silane as the liquid silane to apply.

45. A method of improving an electrosurgical knife tip having an active electrode area defined by a parent metal, the method comprising applying only a coating consisting essentially of a trialkoxy silane directly onto the parent metal over at least a selected portion of the active electrode area.

46. A method of improving an electrosurgical knife tip having an active electrode area defined by a parent metal, the method comprising coating a polyfunctional silane directly onto the parent metal over at least a selected portion of the active electrode area.

47. A method of improving an elongated medical device having a proximal end adapted to be held and a distal end adapted to contact tissue, wherein the distal end is comprised of a parent metal, comprising applying only coating consisting essentially of trialkoxy silane directly against the parent metal of at least a selected portion of the distal end.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the distal end is first polished prior to coating silane thereon.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the distal end is polished to a smooth surface using 600 grit abrasive.

50. A method of improving an elongated medical device having a proximal end adapted to be held and a distal end adapted to contact tissue, wherein the distal end is comprised of a parent metal, comprising applying a polyfunctional silane coating directly against the parent metal of at least a selected portion of the distal end.