Porous fiber electrode coating and related methods

• US 8,224,461 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Scheuermann, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): GETZOW, SCOTT M
• Application Number:
  US12/703,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20100241204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 607115-128, 600372-395
• US Class Current: 607/121
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems

Abstract

The embodiments herein relate to an electrode having a porous coating including a fiber mesh, a multi-layer coating, and an outer coating, and a method of making the same. The various electrode coating embodiments include pores in the coating that prevent access by protein or cells while allowing for ion and/or liquid access.

Claims

1. A medical electrical lead comprising:

a flexible, elongated polymeric lead body defining at least one longitudinal lumen therethrough;

a conducting wire extending through the at least one lumen;

a connector coupled to the lead body for mechanically and electrically coupling the lead to an implantable pulse generator device;

an electrode disposed on an exterior portion of the lead body, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the conducting wire; and

a porous coating disposed on the electrode, the porous coating comprising;

a polymeric nanofiber mesh comprising polyetheretherketone;

a first coating disposed on the fiber mesh, comprising TiO₂ and polyacrylic acid; and

a second coating disposed on the first coating, comprising a fluoroalkylsilane.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein the first coating is a multi-layer coating comprising layers of TiO₂ and polyacrylic acid.

3. The lead of claim 2, wherein the first coating comprises alternating layers of TiO₂ and polyacrylic acid.

4. The lead of claim 2, wherein the first coating comprises at least five alternating layers of TiO₂ and polyacrylic acid.

5. The lead of claim 1, wherein the porous coating comprises pores, wherein each of the pores has a diameter ranging from about 1 μ

m to about 5 μ

m.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein the polymeric nanofiber mesh is an electro-spun polymeric nanofiber mesh.

7. The lead of claim 1, wherein the polymeric nanofiber mesh is a finely woven polymeric nanofiber mesh.

8. The lead of claim 1, wherein the second coating includes a fluoroalkylsilane selected from the group consisting of a compound having the formula CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂Si(OCH₃)₃, heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyltriethoxysilane, heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyltrimethoxysilane, heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetra-hydrodecyltrichlorosilane, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyltrichlorosilane, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyltrimethoxysilane, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyltriethoxysilane, and trifluoropropyltrimethoxysilane.

9. A method of making an electrode for a medical electrical lead of the type having a lead body and at least one electrical conducting wire therein, the method comprising:

forming an electrode on the lead body;

disposing a polymeric nanofiber mesh on the electrode, the nanofiber mesh comprising polyetheretherketone;

applying a first multi-layer coating to the polymeric nanofiber mesh, the first multi-layer coating comprising layers of TiO₂ and polyacrylic acid; and

applying a second coating to the first multi-layer coating, the second coating comprising fluoroalkylsilane.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein disposing the polymeric nanofiber mesh on the electrode comprises electro-spinning the polymeric nanofiber mesh onto the electrode.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the polymeric nanofiber mesh comprises a finely woven polymeric nanofiber mesh.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein applying the first multi-layer coating to the polymeric nanofiber mesh further comprises:

coating the electrode and the polymeric nanofiber mesh in the TiO₂;

coating the electrode and the polymeric nanofiber mesh in the polyacrylic acid; and

repeating the two coating steps in alternating sequence at least five times.