Techniques to improve polyurethane membranes for implantable glucose sensors
AssigneeDexCom, Inc.
InventorsMark A. Tapsak, Rathbun K. Rhodes, Mark C. Shults, Jason D. McClure
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Abstract
The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.
Claims6
A method for preparing an implantable homogeneous membrane, the method comprising the steps of:
- forming a composition comprising a dispersion of a hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer within a matrix of a hydrophobic polymer;
- maintaining the composition at a temperature sufficient to maintain solubility of the hydrophobic-hydrophilic polymer and the hydrophobic polymer;
- applying the composition at the temperature to a substrate to form a film thereon;
- and drying the film to form a membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.