Nanofiber adhesives used in medical devices

• US 8,428,675 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: McKenna, Edward M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, KEVIN C
• Application Number:
  US12/543,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20110046461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 156/155, 156/152, 264/139, 600/323, 600/386, 600/391, 118/696, 428/365
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 11/04 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 11/08 Macromolecular additives
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/20 characterised by their carriers
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 9/02 Electrically-conducting adhesives

Abstract

Nanofiber adhesives and their uses with device, such as medical devices, are described. In one embodiment, a nanofiber adhesive layer may be disposed on a surface of a medical device, such as a backing layer of a sensor, for adhesion to a substrate. The nanofiber adhesive layer may allow durable adhesion to the substrate. Other described features may include materials and methods to determine the attachment of the medical device to a patient by determining the adhesive state of the adhesive layer.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a backing layer;

an adhesive layer comprising a plurality of nanofibers attached to the backing layer to couple the device to a patient tissue; and

two or more electrical contacts positioned within or beneath the adhesive layer, wherein the two or more electrical contacts are capable of conducting a current through the adhesive layer or through the patient tissue to provide a signal related to an adhesive state of the adhesive layer.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nanofibers of the adhesive layer undergo a conformational change when adhered to the substrate such that a characteristic of the current flowing between the two or more electrical contacts is altered.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrical contacts are positioned within the adhesive layer.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a pulse oximetry sensor, electroencephalogram lead, or an electrocardiogram lead.

5. A medical device, comprising:

a backing material;

a sensor or lead attached to the backing material, wherein the sensor or lead is capable of generating physiological data monitored by a patient monitor;

an adhesive layer comprising a plurality of nanofibers configured to adhere the medical device to a patient tissue, wherein the adhesive layer is attached to the backing material; and

two or more electrical contacts configured to conduct a current through the adhesive layer or through the patient tissue to provide a signal related to an adhesive state of the adhesive layer.

6. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of nanofibers are aligned substantially perpendicular to the backing layer.

7. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the adhesive layer is attached to the backing material using a glue or a polymeric bonding agent.

8. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of nanofibers comprise a polymer material.

9. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of nanofibers are comprised of any one of or a combination of single, double, or multiwalled carbon nanotubes.

10. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the medical device comprises a pulse oximetry sensor, an electroencephalogram lead, or an electrocardiogram lead.

11. The medical device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of nanofibers comprise one or more of carbon, boron, silicon, boron carbide, silicon carbide, boron-silicon, cellulose or its synthetic analogs, collagen or its synthetic analogs, or keratin or its synthetic analogs.

12. A method of manufacturing a medical device, comprising:

applying a sensor or lead on a backing material;

applying an adhesive layer on the backing material, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a plurality of nanofibers configured to adhere the medical device to a patient tissue; and

applying electrical contacts between the backing material and the adhesive layer, or within the adhesive layer, to provide a signal related to an adhesive state of the adhesive layer.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the plurality of nanofibers are disposed in a general parallel orientation in relation to one another and are substantially perpendicular in relation to the backing material.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the plurality of nanofibers comprise carbon nanotubes.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, comprising forming the plurality of nanofibers by performing a lithographic or etching process on a bulk polymer.

16. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the plurality of nanofibers comprise one or more of carbon, boron, silicon, boron carbide, silicon carbide, boron-silicon, cellulose and its synthetic analogs, collagen and its synthetic analogs, keratin and its synthetic analogs, or a polymer.

17. The medical device of claim 12, comprising chemically altering some or all of the plurality of nanofibers by coating or chemically functionalizing the respective nanofibers.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein applying the adhesive layer on the backing material comprises gluing or bonding the adhesive layer to the backing material.