Method for coating surgical instruments

• US 9,474,567 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2014
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Team Medical, LLC
• Original Assignee: Team Medical, LLC
• Inventors: Heim, Warren P., Brassell, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan, Dah-Wei D
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOWMAN, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US14/516,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20150141989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 606/45, 606/41, 606/49, 106/15, 106/600, 106/287.1, 106/287.18, 106/287.19, 427/508, 524/261
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/02 Methods for coating medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/06 Coatings containing a mixture of two or more compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2420/08 Coatings comprising two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/088 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/36 Successively applying liquids or other fluent materials, e.g. without intermediate treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/007 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/00 Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/06 Quartz; Sand
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/30 Oxides other than silica ferrites C04B14/363
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/303 Alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/305 Titanium oxide, e.g. titanates
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/322 Carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/323 Boron carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/324 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/325 Nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/328 : Silicon nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 14/366 : Phosphates, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 18/146 : Silica fume
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2103/40 : Surface-active agents, dispersants
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00482 : Coating or impregnation materials
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00525 : for metallic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2111/00836 : for medical or dental applications
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/2682 : Halogen containing polymers, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 24/42 : Organo-silicon compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 28/26 : Silicates of the alkali metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 40/0263 : Hardening promoted by a rise in temperature C04B40/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 1/00 : Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 3/445 : from vinylfluorides or other fluoroethylenic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/91 : Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/259 : Silicic material

Abstract

A coating and devices using the coating are provided. The coating is applied in liquid form and dried or otherwise cured to form a durable adherent coating resistant to high temperatures and having optional hydrophobic properties. The coating formulation contains an aqueous formulation of silica, one or more fillers, and sufficient base, (e.g., potassium hydroxide), to have a pH exceeding about 10.5 during at least part of the formulation process. The formulation may contain a compound(s) that affects surface free energy, energy to make the cured coating hydrophobic. Such compounds include silanes containing halogens (e.g., fluorine or chlorine) and in particular silanes containing one or more hydrolyzable groups attached to at least one silicon atom and a group containing one or more halogens (e.g., chlorine or fluorine). A medical instrument (e.g., electrosurgical instrument) may be at least partially covered by a coating using the formulation.

Claims

1. A process for providing an electrosurgical instrument in which a metal surface portion of an electrosurgical blade is coated at least in part with a coating formulation to provide an at least partially non-stick surface, comprising:

preparing a coating formulation by combining at least the following;

silica;

at least one inorganic filler;

at least one alkylalkoxysilane that includes at least one halogen; and

,

a strong base in an amount so that the coating formulation has a pH of at least 10.5 during at least part of the preparing step;

waiting a predetermined time period after said preparing step; and

,

coating at least a portion of said metal surface portion of the electrosurgical blade with said prepared coating formulation after said waiting step, wherein the coating step is completed so that a portion of the electrosurgical blade has an impedance from the electrosurgical blade to tissue of less than about 5,000 ohms, said portion comprising an edge of said electrosurgical blade exposed through the coating.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least one halogen is comprised of at least one of:

chlorine; and

fluorine.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said coating formulation has a pH of at least 12.5 during at least part of the preparing step.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said preparing step further comprises:

combining water and a solid in said coating formulation.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said strong base is potassium hydroxide.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein said inorganic filler comprises montmorellonite.

7. The process of claim 1, further comprising:

waiting a predetermined time period after said preparing step and before said coating step.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein said coating step comprises:

applying the prepared coating formulation to said at least a portion of said at least one apparatus metal component surface; and

,

drying the applied coating formulation on said at least one apparatus metal component surface to provide an at least partially non-stick surface.

9. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

repeating said applying step a plurality of times.

10. The process of claim 8, further comprising:

waiting a predetermined time period after said preparing step and before said coating step.

11. The process of claim 9, where said preparing step further comprises:

combining water in said coating formulation.

12. The process of claim 10, further comprising:

curing said applied coating formulation on said at least one apparatus metal component surface by applying thermal energy.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein said curing step is completed after said drying step.

14. The process of claim 1, wherein said coating step is completed so that at least part of the coating is between about 0.001 and 0.1 inches thick.

15. The process of claim 1, wherein said coating step is completed so that the coating has a surface free energy of less than about 32 millinewtons/meter.

16. The process of claim 1, wherein said electrosurgical blade comprises stainless steel.

17. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least one alkylalkoxysilane of said coating formulation is selected from a group consisting of:

fluoroalkylalkoxysilanes; and

chloroalkylalkoxysilanes.

18. The process of claim 17, wherein said fluoroalkylalkoxysilane is between 0.25 and 5 weight percent of said coating formulation.