Polymer composites for biomedical applications and methods of making
AssigneeDFine, Inc.
InventorCsaba Truckai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A biomedical polymer composite that exhibits ultra-low thermal conductivity properties. In a preferred embodiment, the biomedical polymer composite comprises a base polymer component with a dispersed thermally non-conductive filler component consisting of glass or ceramic nanospheres or microspheres that have a thermal conductivity of less than 5 W/m-K, and preferably less than 2 W/m-K. In one embodiment, the polymer composite has an electrically conductive filler and can be used in a filament for treating arteriovascular malformations. In another embodiment, the polymeric composite can be used as an energy-coupling means to apply energy to tissue.
Claims27
An apparatus for thermally treating tissue, comprising:
- a. an elongate introducer member having a proximal end, a distal end, and defining first, second, and third flowable material outlets at its distal end;
- wherein the first and second flowable material outlets are fluidly connected to at least one reservoir volume of flowable conductive material, and the third flowable material outlet is fluidly connected to a reservoir volume of flowable insulative material;
- and wherein the distal end of the elongate introducer member defines an extrusion geometry configured to output two extrusions of conductive material from the first and second outlets which are interposed by at least a portion of an insulative material extrusion from the third outlet;
- and
- b. first and second electrodes coupled to the distal end of the introducer member and configured to create a flow of current between the two extrusions of conductive material and around the portion of the insulative material extrusion which is interposed between the conductive material extrusions.
A method of thermally treating tissue, comprising:
- a. selecting a targeted portion of a tissue structure to be ablated;
- b. forming a bipolar electrode layer upon the tissue structure adjacent the targeted portion, the bipolar electrode layer comprising first and second conductive layers separated by an insulative layer;
- and
- c. causing current to flow from the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer, at least a portion of the current flowing around the nonconductive layer and through the targeted portion of the tissue structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.