Piezoelectric medical implant

• US 9,878,169 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hossainy, Syed
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): Darb, Hamza
• Application Number:
  US14/650,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20160184595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2007/126 for invasive application, e.g. for introducing into blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/12 Devices for heating or cooling internal body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0258 for vascular access, e.g. blood stream access
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/0261 Means for anchoring port to the body, or ports having a special shape or being made of a specific material to allow easy implantation/integration in the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/0247 Semi-permanent or permanent transcutaneous or percutaneous access sites to the inside of the body peritoneal dialysis catheters A61M1/285; tracheostomy devices A61M16/0465; measuring pressure within the body A61B5/03; colostomy devices A61F5/445; gastrotomy feeding tubes A61J15/0015; means for fixing a feeding tube outside of the body A61J15/0053
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3785 generated by biological activity or substance, e.g. body movement

Abstract

Various medical implants and methods of using the implants are disclosed. In an embodiment, the implants include piezoelectric polymers for treating unwanted medical conditions of a patient. The medical implants may be delivered to an organ of the patient to treat conditions of those organs.

Claims

1. A medical implant comprising:

a piezoelectric patch having a flexure area to undergo mechanical strain caused by a target anatomy;

an anchor to secure the flexure area to the target anatomy; and

a heating element coupled to the piezoelectric patch, wherein the heating element is at least partially within the piezoelectric patch, and wherein the heating element is configured to generate heat in response to an oscillating electromagnetic field induced by an external source.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexure area includes a piezoelectric polymer.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric polymer includes a poled polymer.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the poled polymer includes poly(vinylidene difluoride) (PVDF).

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the anchor includes one or more barbs to secure the flexure area to the target anatomy.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the anchor includes an adhesive to secure the flexure area to the target anatomy, and wherein the mechanical strain includes bending.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein a portion of the heating element is outside of the piezoelectric patch.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the heating element includes a metal susceptible to heating induced by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the heating element includes a coiled wire.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein the heating element includes a serpentine wire.

11. The device of claim 8 further comprising a drug delivery mechanism.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the drug delivery mechanism includes a drug depot in the flexure area, the drug depot being filled with a drug.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the drug depot is covered by a membrane.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexure area includes a width, a length 1 to 20 times the width, and a thickness 0.01 to 0.15 times the width.

15. A method of treating a patient tissue comprising:

delivering a medical implant having a piezoelectric patch including a flexure area to undergo mechanical strain caused by a target anatomy, an anchor, and a heating element coupled to the piezoelectric patch, wherein the heating element is at least partially within the piezoelectric patch, and wherein the heating element is configured to generate heat in response to an oscillating electromagnetic field induced by an external source; and

securing the flexure area to the target anatomy at an intracorporeal site of a patient.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexure area includes a poled PVDF polymer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising directing voltage generated within the flexure area to the target anatomy.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising heating the target anatomy with heat generated in the heating element by external stimulation from the external source.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the medical implant includes a drug delivery mechanism, and further comprising delivering a drug to the target anatomy from the drug delivery mechanism.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the target anatomy includes muscle tissue.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the target anatomy moves cyclically, and wherein the cyclic motion generates electricity in the flexure area.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexure area is configured to undergo mechanical strain caused by the target anatomy.