Surface treatment of silicone medical devices with reactive hydrophilic polymers

A silicone medical device including a hydrophilic surface comprising:

• a medical device made from a silicone material, wherein the silicone material comprises monomeric units having reactive functionalities selected from the group consisting of azlactone, carboxylic acid, amine, hydroxy, and epoxy functionalities, and compatible combinations thereof;
• and hydrophilic polymers attached to the medical device wherein the points of attachment are the result of the reaction of isocyanate, hydroxy, amine, carboxylic acid, or ring-opening complementary reactive functionalities or compatible combinations thereof in monomeric units along the hydrophilic reactive polymers with said functionalities on or near the surface of the medical device wherein in the case of the hydroxy or amine complementary reactive functionalities, the silicone material comprises azlactone reactive functionalities and in the case of the carboxylic acid complementary functionality, the silicone material comprises epoxy reactive functionalities, thereby producing a clear, transparent biocompatible coating comprising a polymer comprising the reaction product of from 50 to 95 mole percent of hydrophilic monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylamides, lactones, poly(alkyleneoxy)methacrylates, methacrylic acid and hydroxyalkyl methacrylates and 5 to 50 mole percent of azlactone, carboxylic acid, amine, hydroxy or epoxy-containing monomers, wherein the alkyl or alkylene groups have 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

A method for treating the surface of a silicone medical device comprising:

• (a) forming a medical device from a silicone material, wherein the silicone material comprises monomeric units having reactive functionalities selected from the group consisting of azlactone, carboxylic acid, amine, hydroxy and epoxy functionalities, and combinations thereof and;
• (b) forming a hydrophilic reactive polymer having complementary reactive functionalities along the polymer chain which functionalities are selected from the group consisting of azlactone, isocyanate, acid anhydride, epoxy, amine, carboxylic acid, and acid functionalities and compatible combinations thereof, which hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises the reaction product of 5 to 50 mole percent of azlactone, isocyanate, acid anhydride, epoxy, amine, carboxylic acid or acid functionality-containing monomers, or combinations thereof, and 0.5 to 20 mole percent of hydrophobic monomers, wherein if the hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises hydroxy or amine complementary reactive functionalities, the silicone material comprises azlactone reactive functionalities and if the hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises a carboxylic acid complementary functionality, the silicone material comprises epoxy reactive functionalities;
• (c) reacting the hydrophilic reactive polymer of (b) having complementary reactive functionalities along the polymer chain with said reactive functionalities on or near the surface of the medical device of (a) in the absence of a coloring substance, thus forming a biocompatible surface on the medical device.