Medical device activation system

• US 6,626,940 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Crowley, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Matthews, William H.
• Application Number:
  US09/882,829
• Publication Number:
  US 20020193874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 623/24, 623/25, 623/921, 623/1.42, 623/912, 604/31, 606/200, 607/6, 607/62, 607/120
• US Class Current: 623/1.42
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/01 Filters implantable into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/86 Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0001 Means for transferring electromagnetic energy to implants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/912 Method or apparatus for measuring or testing prosthetic

Abstract

A medical device vibratory activation system is disclosed. The system includes an implantable appliance comprising a conductive material and a signal producing mechanism having a portion configured to be located relative to the implantable appliance. The signal-producing mechanism is also configured to generate a signal that interacts with the conductive material in the implantable appliance to induce a motion of the implantable appliance.

Claims

1. A medical device vibratory activation system, comprising:

an implantable appliance comprising a conductive material;

a signal-producing mechanism having a portion configured to be located relative to the implantable appliance, the signal-producing mechanism also being configured to generate an alternating signal that interacts with the conductive material in the implantable appliance to induce a vibrating motion of the implantable appliance;

a sweep generator operably coupled to the signal producing mechanism and configured to sweep the signal over a plurality of frequencies; and

an ammeter operably coupled to the signal-producing mechanism and configured to sense a current increase when the sweep generator generates a key frequency that induces a resonant response by the implantable appliance, wherein the key frequency is an indication of a condition of the implantable appliance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable appliance is a metallic stent.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable appliance is a metallic filter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable appliance is a stent graft.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal-producing mechanism is an extracorporeal transmitter that produces the alternating signal.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the extracorporeal transmitter includes an amplifier and an oscillator that are configured to provide an alternating current to a coiled loop of wire, thereby enabling creation of the alternating signal in the form of an alternating electromagnetic radiation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the signal-producing mechanism is an extracorporeal coil comprising a plurality of wire loops substantially confined within a container; and

the alternating signal is an electromagnetic field generated in response to a current being applied to the plurality of wire loops.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising an adhesive strip attached to the container and adapted to facilitate an attachment of the container to a patient.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a therapeutic agent incorporated with the implantable appliance, the therapeutic agent being operable in response to the alternating signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the therapeutic agent is a drug that is released in response to the alternating signal.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein an operation of the therapeutic agent is heat sensitive and the operation depends on a change in temperature induced by the alternating signal.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein an operation of the therapeutic agent is motion sensitive and the operation depends on the motion of the implantable device induced by the signal-producing mechanism.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal-producing mechanism is battery operated.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal-producing mechanism comprises a current source operably connected to a coil assembly that is configured to be transcutaneously delivered to an internal location proximate the implantable appliance after it has been implanted.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one connection line connects the current source to the coil assembly.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the coil assembly is coupled to an intra-vascular device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the coil assembly is coupled to a catheter.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the coil assembly is coupled to a guide wire.

19. A medical device comprising:

an implantable conductive appliance; and

an extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism that includes a plurality of wire loops substantially confined within a container, the extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism being electromagnetically coupled to the implantable conductive appliance and configured to interact with a conductive material and induce a motion reaction by the conductive material; and

an oscillator and an ammeter operably connected to the extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism and configured to indicate an amount and a duration of a build-up of undesirable material on the implantable conductive appliance.

20. The medical device of claim 19, further comprising a therapeutic agent coupled to the implantable conductive appliance and actuatable in response to the motion reaction induced by the extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism.

21. The medical device of claim 19, further comprising a therapeutic agent coupled to the implantable conductive appliance and actuatable in response to a heating of the implanted conductive appliance that occurs subsequent the motion reaction.

22. A medical device comprising:

an implantable conductive appliance;

an extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism that includes a coiled loop of wire, the extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism being electromagnetically coupled to the implantable conductive appliance and configured to provide an alternating current to the coiled loop of wire to induce a motion reaction by the implantable conductive appliance; and

an oscillator and an ammeter operably connected to the extracorporeal signal-producing mechanism and configured to indicate an amount and a duration of a build-up of undesirable material on the implantable conductive appliance.