Implantable analyte sensor

• US 20020169369A1
• Filed: 05/08/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konamite Limited
• Original Assignee: Isense Corporation
• Inventors: Ward, W. Kenneth, Jansen, Lawrence B., Anderson, Ellen M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,613,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/347
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors

Abstract

An insertable analyte needle sensor, comprising a set of fine wires positioned together and a dielectric material covering a substantial portion of the fine wires but defining an opening filled with at least one partially permeable membrane. The wires may be treated with a gas plasma to facilitate membrane adherence. One membrane layer may comprise sulphonated polyethersulphone coated with silane.

Claims

1. An insertable analyte needle sensor, comprising:

(a) a set of fine wires positioned together; and

(b) dielectric material covering a substantial portion of said fine wires but defining an opening filled with at least one partially permeable membrane.

2. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said analyte needle sensor is a glucose sensor.

3. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said fine wires are twisted together into a helix.

4. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said fine wires are positioned together about an additional wire.

5. The sensor of claim 4 wherein said fine wires are twisted about said additional wire to form a set of helixes.

6. The sensor of claim 4 wherein said additional wire is made of steel.

7. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said fine wires are made of a material that includes platinum.

8. The sensor of claim 1 wherein each said fine wire has a diameter of less than 100 μ

m.

9. The sensor of claim 1 wherein said fine wires collectively have a diameter of less than 300 μ

m.

10. A method of producing an analyte sensor, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a conductive wire, having an exposed surface;

(b) gas plasma treating said exposed surface of said conductive wire to remove oxidation; and

(c) applying a SPES membrane over said exposed surface of said conductive prior to any reformation of a layer of oxidation.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said conductive wires are made of a platinum-iridium alloy.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein step (c) more specifically comprises dipping said sensor into a solution of SPES in dimethyl acetamide.

13. The method of claim 10 further including curing said SPES for at least one hour at between 30 degrees C. and 50 degrees C.

14. The method of claim 10 further including a step of applying an additional layer of material, dissolved in dimethyl acetamide.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising oven baking said sensor, after step (c), for over 15 minutes at over 110°

C.

17. The method of claim 15 further including a step, to be performed after step (c), of applying a layer of polyurethane material

18. The method of claim 15 further including a step of applying an additional layer of material, dissolved in dimethyl acetamide.

19. The method of claim 15 further including a step of applying an additional layer of SPES after performing step (c).

15. A method of producing an analyte sensor, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a conductive wire, having at least one exposed surface;

(b) applying at least one layer of sulphonated polyethersulphone (SPES) over said at least one exposed surface; and

(c) coating the SPES with a solution of silane.