Implantable medical device with electrode lead having improved surface characteristics

• US 6,049,736 A
• Filed: 09/03/1997
• Issued: 04/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cobian, Kenneth E., Stewart, Mark T., Ebert, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/923,046
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 607/115, 607/116, 607/119, 607/122, 607/123
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/141 Plasticizers
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 33/0088 by grafting of a monomer onto the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/62 Plasma-deposition of organic layers plasma deposition in general C23C14/00, C23C16/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/144 of polymeric substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/103 of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/142 of profiled articles, e.g. hollow or tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2023/00 Tubular articles B29L2024/00 takes precedence ; catheters B29L2031/7542
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7542 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/0245 by etching with a plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/045 Coating cavities or hollow spaces, e.g. interior of tubes; Infiltration of porous substrates
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/30 Deposition of compounds, mixtures or solid solutions, e.g. borides, carbides, nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/505 using radio frequency discharges
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/32082 Radio frequency generated discharge H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence

Abstract

An implantable medical device has an electrode lead having an outer surface of a polymeric material which has been treated in an inert gas atmosphere by a glow discharge to deposit a monomer substance thereon to produce an outer surface lower in resistance to movement within the body tissue of a patient than untreated material.

Claims

1. A lead for implantation having an outer covering comprising a polymeric material, wherein an exterior surface of the outer covering is improved with respect to its surface characteristics by a treatment comprising:

exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a glow discharge zone, wherein the glow discharge is produced with an inert gas excited by power provided by a power source; and

exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a monomer deposition zone, wherein the monomer deposition is accomplished by introducing a monomer in the monomer deposition zone and utilizing power provided by a power source to initiate poilymerization of the monomer to form a plasma deposited coating on the polymeric surface.

2. The lead of claim 1 wherein the inert gas in the glow discharge zone comprises an inert gas selected from a group of nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, and mixtures thereof.

3. The lead of claim 1 wherein the inert gas comprises argon.

4. The lead of claim 1 wherein the monomer comprises a compound comprising:

a polymerizable structure selected from the group of a carbon--carbon double or triple bond, a saturated cyclic group, an arylene group, and mixtures thereof, and

one or more pendant functional groups selected from the group of an amine, a hydroxyl, a carbonyl, a carboxylic, an amide, a sulfone, an ether, an ester, an epoxide and mixtures thereof.

5. The lead of claim 1 wherein the monomer comprises N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone.

6. An implantable medical device comprising at least one electrical lead comprising an electrode and an outer covering comprising a polymeric material, wherein an exterior surface of the outer covering is improved with respect to its surface characteristics by a treatment comprising:

exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a glow discharge zone, wherein the glow discharge is produced with an inert gas excited by power provided by a power source; and

exposing the outer covering exterior surface to a monomer deposition zone, wherein the monomer deposition is accomplished by introducing a monomer in the monomer deposition zone and utilizing power provided by a power source to initiate polymerization of the monomer to form a plasma deposited coating on the polymeric surface.

7. The implantable medical device 6 wherein the inert gas in the glow discharge zone comprises an inert gas selected from the group of nitrogen, helium, neon, argon, and mixtures thereof.

8. The implantable medical device 6 wherein the inert gas comprises argon.

9. The implantable medical device 6 wherein the monomer comprises a compound comprising:

a polymerizable structure selected from the group of a carbon-carbon double or triple bond, a saturated cyclic group, an arylene group, and mixtures thereof; and

one or more pendant functional groups selected from a group of an amine, a hydroxyl, a carbonyl, a carboxylic, an amide, a sulfone, an ether, an ester, an epoxide, and mixtures thereof.

10. The implantable medical dervice 6 wherein the monomer comprises N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone.