Method and apparatus for overcoming infection in a tissue pocket surrounding an implanted device
AssigneeBiolink Corporation
InventorsFrank R. Prosl, Hans-Dietrich Polaschegg, Brian K. Estabrook, Klaus Sodemann
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Abstract
An improvement in an implantable port of the type including a housing that is implanted within a subcutaneous tissue pocket is disclosed, wherein the improvement comprises the presence of metallic silver, an inorganic silver compound, a silver salt of an organic acid, or other antimicrobial substances such as taurolidine on the surfaces of the port in contact with, or proximate to, the tissue of said pocket.
Claims19
In an implantable medical device such as a port, the improvement comprising a coating on the exterior surface of the implantable medical device, said coating comprising at least one antimicrobial substance.
In an implantable medical device, the improvement comprising at least one recess on the exterior surface of the device, said recess containing at least one soluble antimicrobial substance or precursor thereof, said recess having an external wall comprising a membrane permeable to the antimicrobial substance when dissolved, said permeable membrane retaining undissolved antimicrobial substance or precursor.
In an implantable medical device, the improvement comprising the presence of at least one pellet of antimicrobial substance pressed into the exterior surface of the device in contact with, or proximate to, a tissue pocket adjacent to such an implant.
In an implantable device, the improvement comprising at least one compartment on the exterior of the device, said at least one compartment containing a solid precursor substance able to form an antimicrobial substance by chemical or enzymatic reaction, said at least one compartment having at least one wall comprising a permeable membrane which retains the solid precursor but allows antimicrobial substance in solution to escape.
In an implantable medical device, the improvement comprising a pouch surrounding the device, said pouch containing an antimicrobial substance and situated between the device and a tissue pocket around the device.
In an implantable medical device, the improvement comprising the presence of a refillable reservoir in the device comprising a collapsible reservoir capable of containing and infusing into a tissue pocket which typically forms adjacent to such a device an antimicrobial substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.