Plasma-generated coating apparatus for medical devices and a method of coating deposition

• US 7,441,513 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Kwok, Connie S., Claude, Charles D., Malik, Shamim M., Seegmiller, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hassanzadeh; Parviz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DHINGRA, RAKESH KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US10/672,890
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 118/715, 427/488, 623/1.13, 623/1.46
• US Class Current: 118/723.00E
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/02 Methods for coating medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/041 Mixtures of macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/62 Plasma-deposition of organic layers plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/20 Homopolymers or copolymers of hexafluoropropene
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/5093 Coaxial electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/46 using applied electromagnetic fields, e.g. high frequency or microwave energy H05H1/26 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus for plasma polymerize coating of medical devices, such as stents, is disclosed. A method for forming plasma-polymerized coating for implantable medical devices is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An apparatus to plasma coat a stent, comprising:

a mandrel supporting a stent;

a first plasma member circumscribing the mandrel, the first plasma member being grounded and the mandrel being supported as a cantilever from the first plasma member;

a second plasma member circumscribing the first plasma member;

a plasma generating source in communication with the second plasma member;

a first horizontally disposed plate member in communication with the first plasma member;

a second horizontally disposed plate member positioned over the first plate member and in communication with the second plasma member;

a third plate member, wherein the second plate member is adjacent to, and in communication with a proximal end of the second plasma member and the third plate member is adjacent to, and in communication with a distal end of the second plasma member; and

an insulator disposed between the first and second plate members to electrically insulate the plate members;

wherein the mandrel extends from the first plate member into the first plasma member and through an opening formed in the second plate member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plasma member is a first hollow tubular body in which the mandrel is positioned, and wherein the second plasma member is a second hollow tubular body in which the first hollow tubular body is positioned.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second hollow tubular bodies include perforations.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stent is positioned in the center of the first hollow tubular body.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stent does not contact the first plasma member during the coating process.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first plasma member is a hollow tubular body in which the mandrel is positioned and wherein the second plasma member is a coil element wrapped around the hollow tubular body.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma generating source is a radio frequency generating source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma generating source generates gaseous plasma to modify a surface of the stent.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma generating source generates gaseous plasma to form a polymer film on a surface of the stent.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a plasma-polymerizable monomer that is in a gaseous form and is inside the second plasma member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a source that supplies the polymerizable monomer gas to the second plasma member.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma generating source generates gaseous plasma to induce polymerization of a plasma-polymerizable monomer on a surface of the stent to form a polymer film.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plasma-polymerizable monomer is in a gaseous form and is inside the second plasma member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a source that supplies the polymerizable monomer gas to the second plasma member.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a substantial portion of the stent mandrel is disposed between the second and third plate members.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mandrel is supported as a cantilever from an end of the first plasma member.