Surgical instrument
OwnerJames R. MORRIS, Judy Morris +2inventors
InventorsJames R. MORRIS, Judy Morris, James M. MORRIS, Craig C. MORRIS
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Abstract
An ultrasonically actuatable surgical blade comprises a metal blade and an elastomeric, biocompatible polymeric coating integral with the blade. The metal blade is usually titanium or a titanium alloy. The polymeric coating comprises a fluoropolymer resin and exhibits a Shore Hardness of 50 D to 60 D, an elongation at break of at least about 250 percent at a temperature in the range of about 20 EC. to about 200 EC. Optionally aluminum oxide powder can be dispersed in the coating.
Claims18
A surgical scalpel which comprises an ultrasonically actuatable blade and an elastomeric, biocompatible polymeric coating integral with said blade and defining a blade-coating interface;
- the coating having a thickness in the range of about 0.0005 inch to about 0.0025 inch, a Shore Hardness value in the range of about 50 D to about 60 D, an elongation at break of at least about 250 percent at a temperature in the range of about 20 EC. to about 200 EC., and comprising a fluoropolymer resin.
A method of applying an elastomeric, biocompatible polymeric coating to an ultrasonically actuatable surgical blade which comprises the steps of:
- combining a solution of a fluoropolymer in a non-aqueous solvent with aluminum oxide powder to obtain a substantially uniform dispersion of the aluminum oxide powder in the solution to provide a suspension having a viscosity in the range of about 1000 centipoises to about 1400 centipoises;
- spray coating the blade, having a root mean square (RMS) surface roughness value in the range of about 15 to about 25 micro inches, with the suspension to provide a substantially uniform deposit of at least about 0.005 inches thick on the blade;
- removing the solvent from the deposit by evaporation at ambient temperature and then heating the deposit at a temperature of about 150 EC. for at least about 20 minutes to produce a dried deposit on the blade;
- and
- thereafter heating the dried deposit at about 330 EC. to about 360 EC. for about 10 to about 45 minutes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.