Controlled exposure of in-vivo sensors

• US 9,999,899 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2016
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Han, Shu-Jen, Kumar, Bharat, Tulevski, George S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Liu, Chu Chuan (JJ)
• Application Number:
  US15/340,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20180117624A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0004 characterised by the type of physiological signal transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14503 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors A61B5/1459, A61B5/1464, A61B5/1473, A61B5/1482, A61B5/14865 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/005 Spin coating
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0413 Heating with air
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/5483 No curing step for any layer

Abstract

A method of protecting an in-vivo sensor includes forming a sensing surface on a surface of the in-vivo sensor, the sensing surface including a functionalized monolayer that will bind to an analyte of interest; and coating the sensing surface of the sensor with a bioabsorbable polymeric coating including a bioabsorbable polymer; wherein the bioabsorbable polymeric coating is configured to protect the in-vivo sensor until needed for implantation.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

forming a sensing surface on a surface of an in-vivo sensor, the sensing surface comprising a first sensor and a second sensor having different thicknesses and compositions, the first sensor binding to a first analyte of interest, and the second sensor binding to a second analyte of interest;

coating the first sensor with a first bioabsorbable polymeric coating comprising a first bioabsorbable polymer, the first bioabsorbable polymeric coating covering and surrounding the first sensor and having a thickness in a range from about 50 to about 1,000 nanometers (nm);

coating the second sensor with a second bioabsorbable polymeric comprising a second bioabsorbable polymer, the second bioabsorbable polymeric coating covering and surrounding the second sensor and having a thickness in a range from about 50 to about 1,000 nm; and

sterilizing the in-vivo sensor, at elevated temperature and high pressure, after coating the sensing surface with the bioabsorbable polymeric coating; and

implanting the in-vivo sensor in an individual, the second bioabsorbable coating desorbing over time to expose the second sensor, and the first bioabsorbable coating desorbing subsequent to the second bioabsorbable coating to expose the first sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor or second sensor comprise an antibody.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged side-by-side.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the coating is spin-coating.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bioabsorbable polymer or second bioabsorbable polymer is polylactic acid.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bioabsorbable polymer or second bioabsorbable polymer is a cross-linking polymer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface of the sensor comprises a metal film.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor comprises an antibody.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing surface comprises functionalized polyethylene glycol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first bioabsorbable polymer or second bioabsorbable polymer comprises lactic acid, glycolic acid, glucose, polytrimethylene carbonate, collagen, laminin, hydroxyapatite, hyaluronan, amino acid, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising disposing a non-fouling coating on the sensing surface.