Self-assembled monolayer coating on electrically conductive regions of a medical implant
OwnerSule Kara, James F. Patrick +1inventors
InventorsSule Kara, James F. Patrick, Martin Svehla
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Abstract
A medical implant having an electrically conductive region for stimulating tissue of a user or patient. The electrically conductive region is coated with a self assembled monolayer (SAM) which at least inhibits the attachment of impedance-inducing material such as protein, cells or fibrous tissue, to the electrically conductive region.
Claims21
1-19. (canceled)
A medical implant for providing electrical stimulation to a patient's tissue, comprising:
- at least one electrically conductive region configured to interface with the tissue;
- and
- a layer of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) coating, attached to at least a portion of the conductive region, configured to inhibit the attachment of impedance-increasing organic material to the coated portion of the at least one conductive region.
A method of reducing energy consumption of a medical implant having at least one electrically conductive region configured to interface with tissue of a patient so as to deliver stimulation signals thereto, comprising:
- coating at least one portion of the at least one conductive region with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) that inhibits attachment of impedance-increasing organic material to the coated portion the at least one conductive region
A cochlear implant, comprising:
- a stimulator unit configured to generate electrical stimulation signals;
- an electrode array having at least one electrode contact configured to deliver the stimulation signals to a patient's tissue;
- and
- a coating of self assembled monolayer (SAM) on the electrode contact, wherein the SAM is configured to inhibit the attachment of impedance-increasing organic material to the electrode contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.