Medical devices incorporating carbon nanotube material and methods of fabricating same

• US 7,596,415 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Coles, James A. Jr., Gardeski, Kenneth C., Hobot, Christopher M., Brabec, Scott J., Lyu, Suping
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NATASHA
• Application Number:
  US11/038,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20050203604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 607/115, 607/119, 607121-122, 600372-374, 600/395, 977/904, 977/931, 977/925
• US Class Current: 607/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0565 Electrode heads
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/905 Specially adapted for travel through blood circulatory system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/925 Bioelectrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/931 Medical device coating

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to medical devices; in particular and without limitation, to unique electrodes and/or electrical lead assemblies for stimulating cardiac tissue, muscle tissue, neurological tissue, brain tissue and/or organ tissue; to electrophysiology mapping and ablation catheters for monitoring and selectively altering physiologic conduction pathways; and, wherein said electrodes, lead assemblies and catheters optionally include fluid irrigation conduit(s) for providing therapeutic and/or performance enhancing materials to adjacent biological tissue, and wherein each said device is coupled to or incorporates nanostructure or materials therein. The present invention also provides methods for fabricating, deploying, and operating such medical devices.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a medical device electrode that is biocompatible with body tissue, comprising:

applying a first conductive polymer layer onto a substrate;

curing the first polymer layer to bond the first polymer layer to the substrate;

applying a second conductive polymer layer to the cured first conductive polymer layer; and

depositing a powder containing a plurality of nanostructures onto the second polymer layer, prior to curing the second conductive polymer layer to form a surface that is biocompatible with body tissue.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive polymer comprises an inherently conductive polymer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein curing the first polymer layer includes annealing the first polymer layer to the substrate.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein applying the second polymer layer is applied to the first conductive polymer layer subsequent to annealing the first conductive polymer layer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive polymer comprises an inherently conductive polymer doped with a conductive additive.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the conductive additive comprises nanostructures.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive polymer comprises a biomedical grade polymer base doped with a conductive additive.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the conductive additive comprises a carbon-based additive.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the conductive additive comprises carbon black.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the conductive additive comprises nanostructures.

11. A medical device that is biocompatible with body tissue, comprising:

a medical device substrate;

a first conductive polymer layer conductively bonded to the medical device substrate;

a second conductive polymer layer bonded to the first conductive polymer layer; and

a plurality of nanostructures disposed on an outer surface of the second conductive polymer layer so that the plurality of nanostructures are adhered to the second conductive polymer layer by curing of the second conductive polymer layer so as to form a surface that is biocompatible with body tissue.

12. The medical device of claim 11 wherein the conductive polymer coating is annealed to the at least a portion of the surface of the medical device.