Self-clearing catheters and methods of use thereof
OwnerHyowon Leeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-cleaning cannula for placement in a patient, including an elongated tube portion having an inner surface and an oppositely disposed outer surface, a first end fluidically connectable to a fluid source outside the patient and a second, oppositely disposed end for fluidically communicating with the patient, and a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles operationally connected to at least a portion of the cannula. The metallic nanoparticles may be energized by an applied oscillating magnetic field to heat the cannula.
Claims12
A method of removing or reducing the formation of cellular occlusions associated with a catheter implanted in a subject, comprising:
- disposing a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles on portions of a catheter predetermined to be at risk of clogging from accretions of cellular material;
- applying a magnetic field to the catheter;
- energizing the magnetic nanoparticles with the applied magnetic field to generate heat;
- and heating the catheter to calcine the cellular material.
A method of in-situ cleaning an implanted device, comprising:
- a) disposing a plurality of superparamagnetic nanoparticles on portions of an implantable device predetermined to be at risk of clogging from accretions of cellular material;
- b) implanting the device in a patient;
- c) applying an oscillating magnetic field to the device;
- and d) calcining organic debris clogging the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.