Internally lubricated elastomers for use in biomedical applications

An elastomer suitable for use in contact with human tissue or body fluids having a silicone oil dispersal there through wherein said silicone oil is present in said elastomer at a level of about 1% to 15% by weight and wherein said silicone oil is dispersed in said elastomer by contacting said elastomer with a solution of said silicone oil in a volatile organic solvent followed by removal of said solvent from the elastomer.

An elastomer suitable for use in contact with human tissue or body fluids having a silicone oil dispersed there through wherein said silicone oil is dispersed in said elastomer by contacting said elastomer with a solution of said silicone oil in a volatile organic solvent wherein said solvent is methylene chloride or perchloroethylene.

A method for cleaning an elastomer comprising the steps of contacting an elastomer with an organic solvent for a sufficiently long time to remove undesirable organics followed by removing residual organic solvent from said elastomer.

A method for preparing an improved elastomer for medical and therapeutic devices comprising the steps of contacting an elastomeric material with a solution of lubricating fluid in methylene chloride followed by removing residual methylene chloride from said material.

A method for preparing an improved septum for application to medical or therapeutic devices comprising the steps of contacting a penetrable elastomeric material with a solution of a lubricating fluid in a volatile organic solvent followed by removing residual solvent from said material.

A process for accessing an interior of an extracorporeal tubing system, comprising the steps of:

• internally lubricating a thermoplastic elastomer with a lubricant thereby creating a thermoplastic composition, said thermoplastic composition having a predetermined hardness for use as a penetrable seal for multiple penetrations;
• and
• molding said thermoplastic composition into said penetrable seal for receiving a substantially blunt or sharp probe.

A method for accessing an extracorporeal tubing system comprising the steps of penetrating a probe through a penetrable septum, said septum having a Shore A durometer hardness ranging from about 15 to 40 and comprising an internally lubricated thermoplastic elastomer.

An access device for an extracorporeal tubing system, said extracorporeal tubing system having an interior, comprising:

• means for accessing said extracorporeal tubing system;
• and
• means, disposed inside said accessing means having a continuous un-pierced surface, for protecting said interior of said extracorporeal tubing system from a plurality of contaminants, said protecting means comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric material having a lubricating fluid dispersed there through.

A human infusion apparatus comprising an access site;

• said access site having a septum wherein said septum is composed of a thermoplastic elastomeric material having a lubricating fluid dispersed there through.

A septum comprising an elastomeric composition having a lubricating fluid dispersed there through, said septum having an increased useful lifetime as a result of the use of the internally lubricated elastomeric composition.