Anti-coagulation and demineralization system for conductive medical devices

• US 8,565,872 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic ATS Medical, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic ATS Medical, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Pederson, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US11/617,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,490 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9, 607/119
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers

Abstract

A system for minimizing and/or eliminating coagulative or mineral deposits on respective blood-contacting surfaces of implanted medical devices includes an implantable system having a current generating device that is electrically coupled to at least first and second electrodes for developing a current therebetween. The at least first and second electrodes are disposed across a patient'"'"'s thoracic cavity in a manner so that a particular implanted medical device having at least a portion thereof that is fabricated from an electrically conductive material is disposed in a path substantially between such electrodes, thereby focusing the generated electrical current at the electrically conductive portion of the implanted medical device for therapeutic treatment thereat.

Claims

1. A conditioning method, comprising:

(a) providing an implanted system having;

(i) a current generator;

(ii) a first electrode electrically coupled to said current generator;

(iii) a second electrode electrically coupled to said current generator; and

(iv) a bio-medical device implanted within a thoracic cavity of a human patient, wherein at least a portion of the bio-medical device is exposed to blood flow and the portion of the bio-medical device exposed to blood flow is electrically conductive;

(b) positioning said first electrode subcutaneously at a first position external to the thoracic cavity;

(c) positioning said second electrode subcutaneously at a second position external to the thoracic cavity, wherein said second position is spaced from said first position such that the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device is operably disposed substantially between said first and second electrodes;

generating an electric field with the current generator, wherein the electric field extends between said first and second electrodes such that the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device is disposed within the electric field to provide an electrical current at said electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device; and

conditioning the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device with the electric current to inhibit blood component coagulation and/or mineralization.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein said current generator is integral and contained within a pacemaker system.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive portion of said bio-medical device is fabricated from pyrolytic carbon, titanium, or stainless steel.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said bio-medical device is a prosthetic heart valve, a cardiac stent, or an artificial conductive blood vessel.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein the electrically conductive portion of said prosthetic heart valve includes a valve housing and valve leaflets thereof.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the generated current is of a magnitude that is sub-threshold.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said implanted system further includes a monolithic structure defining a body fabricated from a flexible material and including the current generator.

8. A method as in claim 7 wherein said body is 8-25 cm in length, 0.5-8 cm in width, and 0.1-3 cm in depth.

9. A method as in claim 7, including positioning said first and second electrodes within said monolithic structure.

10. A method as in claim 9, including positioning said current generator within said monolithic structure.

11. A method as in claim 7, including positioning said first and second electrodes on said monolithic structure, wherein said first electrode is spaced-apart from the current generator and connected to the current generator with an electrical conduit wire disposed within the body.

12. A method as in claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device includes an amount of conductivity that is 10-100 times an amount of conductivity of blood.

13. A conditioning method, comprising:

(a) providing a therapeutic system having;

(i) a current generator;

(ii) a first electrode electrically coupled to said current generator;

(iii) a second electrode electrically coupled to said current generator; and

(iv) a bio-medical device implanted within a thoracic area of a human body, wherein at least a portion of the bio-medical device is exposed to blood flow and the portion of the biomedical device exposed to blood flow is electrically conductive;

(b) removably securing said first electrode to a first position external to the human body;

(c) removably securing said second electrode to a second position external to the human body, wherein said second position is spaced from said first position such that the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device is operably disposed substantially between said first and second electrodes;

generating an electrical field with the current generator, wherein the electric field extends between said first and second electrodes such that the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device is disposed within the electric field to provide an electrical current at said electrically conduction portion of the implanted bio-medical device; and

conditioning the electrically conductive portion of the bio-medical device with the electric current to inhibit blood component coagulation and/or mineralization.