Coated medical devices and methods of making same

1. A method of coating a reusable insertable medical device comprising:

providing a reusable insertable medical device comprising a body;

applying an acrylic layer to the body; and

applying onto the acrylic layer an acrylic-grafted fluoropolymeric layer comprising a fluoropolymer having acrylic groups grafted thereon, wherein the flexibility of the reusable insertable medical device is substantially unaltered; and

substantially protecting the reusable insertable medical device from degradation upon exposure to an oxidizing solution.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises a fluoroelastomer.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the fluoroelastomer is a poly(vinylidene fluoride) polymer.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the fluoroelastomer comprises hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, perfluoromethylvinylether, or chlorotrifluoroethylene.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the fluoroelastomer is a copolymer comprising vinylidene fluoride and at least one other fluorinated monomer.

6. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the fluoroelastomer comprises at least one of a hexafluoropropylene, tetrafluoroethylene, perfluoromethylvinylether, and chlorotrifluoroethylene.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the substantially protecting comprises withstanding chemical degradation upon exposure during disinfection or sterilizing to the oxidizing solution on a surface of the medical device beneath the layers for at least 500 disinfection or sterilizing cycles of the medical device.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer has a melt flow index about 1.3 grams/10 minutes measured at 230° C. using a 10 kilogram weight.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer has a melt flow index about 24 grams/10 minutes measured at 230° C. using a 5 kilogram weight.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer has a melt flow index about 8 grams/10 minutes measured at 230° C. using a 2.16 kilogram weight.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the graft weight of the acrylic groups is between 3% and 11%.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the acrylic groups are acrylic acid, dimethyl acrylamide, butyl acrylate, or methyl acrylate.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the insertable medical device is an endoscope.

14. A method of coating a reusable insertable medical device comprising:

providing a reusable insertable medical device comprising a body;

applying an acrylic layer to the body; and

applying onto the acrylic layer an acrylic-grafted fluoropolymeric layer comprising a fluoropolymer having acrylic groups grafted thereon, the fluoropolymer having a melt flow index in the range of about 1 grams/10 minutes to about 5 grams/10 minutes measured at 230° C. with a 10 kilogram weight, the acrylic groups present in an amount between about 3 to 11 wt % of the total weight of the fluoropolymer.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

substantially protecting the insertable medical device from degradation upon exposure to an oxidizing solution.

16. A method of coating a reusable insertable medical device comprising:

providing a reusable insertable medical device comprising a body;

applying an acrylic layer to the body; and

applying onto the acrylic layer an acrylic-grafted fluoropolymeric layer comprising a fluoropolymer having acrylic groups grafted thereon, the fluoropolymer having a melt flow index in the range of about 20 grams/10 minutes to about 30 grams/10 minutes measured at 230° C. with a 5 kilogram weight, the acrylic groups present in an amount between about 3 to 11 wt % of the total weight of the fluoropolymer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

substantially protecting the insertable medical device from degradation upon exposure to an oxidizing solution.

18. A method of coating a reusable insertable medical device comprising:

providing a reusable insertable medical device comprising a body;

applying an acrylic layer to the body; and

applying onto the acrylic layer an acrylic-grafted fluoropolymer layer comprising a fluoropolymer having acrylic groups grafted thereon, the fluoropolymer having a melt flow index in the range of about 2 grams/10 minutes to about 10 grams/10 minutes measured at 230° C. with a 2.16 kilogram weight, the acrylic groups present in an amount between about 3 to 11 wt % of the total weight of the fluoropolymer.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

substantially protecting the insertable medical device from degradation upon exposure to an oxidizing solution.

20. A method of coating a reusable insertable medical device comprising:

providing a reusable insertable medical device comprising a body;

applying an acrylic layer to the body;

grafting acrylic groups with a graft weight between 3% and 11% onto a fluoroelastomer with a melt flow index, measured at 230° C., of about 1.3 grams/10 minutes with at 10 kilogram weight; about 24 grams/10 minutes with a 5 kilogram weight; or about 8 grams/10 minutes with a 2.16 kilogram weight; and

applying the acrylic-grafted fluoroelastomer onto the body.