IP Library Patent Application 12931927
Patent Application
App. No. 12/931,927

Systems, devices, and methods including implantable devices with anti-microbial properties

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/931,927
Abstract

Systems, devices, methods, and compositions are described for providing an actively controllable implant configured to, for example, monitor, treat, or prevent microbial growth or adherence to the implant.

Claims (73)

1 . An insertable device system, comprising:

a body structure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining one or more fluid-flow passageways;

a plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions including at least one actuatable anti-microbial property, the plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions being included in at least one of the outer surface, or the inner surface of the body structure; and

circuitry configured for determining the presence of at least one microorganism proximate at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions of the body structure.

2 . The insertable device system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuatable anti-microbial property is configured to be actuated by at least one of a program, or the presence of at least one microorganism.

3 . The insertable device system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured for detecting the presence of at least one microorganism.

4 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , further comprising a controller operably coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller configured to actuate at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions in response to detected information from the at least one sensor.

5 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , further comprising a controller operably coupled to the at least one sensor, the controller configured to actuate at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions in response to at least one of a scheduled program, external command, history of a previous presence of a microorganism, expected presence of microorganisms, expected presence of a particular microorganism, or history of a previous actuation.

6 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , further comprising actuating means for concurrently or sequentially actuating two or more of the plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions determined to have a microorganism present proximate to the same.

7 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , wherein the actuating means includes one or more switching elements.

8 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , wherein the actuating means includes at least one of an electro-mechanical switch, electrochemical switch, optical switch, electrical switch, magnetic switch, electro-optical switch, or acousto-optical switch.

9 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , wherein the circuitry configured for determining the presence of at least one microorganism includes at least one sensor including an identification code.

10 . The insertable device system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor is configured to implement instructions addressed to the at least one identification code.

11 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor is operably coupled to a microorganism biomarker array.

12 .- 16 . (canceled)

17 . The insertable device system of claim 1 , further comprising an array of different binding molecules that specifically bind one or more components of at least one microorganism.

18 . The insertable device system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one computing device.

19 . The insertable device system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one computing device is remote to the insertable device.

20 . The insertable device system of claim 18 , further comprising one or more instructions that when executed on the at least one computing device cause the at least one computing device to generate at least one output to a user.

21 . The insertable device system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one output includes at least one of a treatment protocol, identification of a detected microorganism, status of the insertable device, or location of a detected microorganism.

22 . The insertable device system of claim 20 , wherein the user includes at least one entity.

23 . The insertable device system of claim 22 , wherein the at least one entity includes at least one person or computer.

24 . The insertable device system of claim 20 , wherein the at least one output includes output to a user readable display.

25 . The insertable device system of claim 24 , wherein the user readable display includes a human readable display.

26 .- 28 . (canceled)

29 . The insertable device system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of a charge-coupled device, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor device, a photoiodide image sensor device, a Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) micro-cavity device, a scintillation detector device, a photoelectric device, an imaging spectrometer, a wavelength-tunable surface plasmon resonance sensor, or a surface plasmon resonance microarray sensor having a wavelength-tunable metal-coated grating.

30 . The insertable device system of claim 29 , wherein the imaging spectrometer includes at least one of a photo-acoustic imaging spectrometer, thermo-acoustic imaging spectrometer, or photo-acoustic/thermo-acousting tomographic imaging spectrometer.

31 . An insertable device system, comprising:

a body structure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining one or more fluid-flow passageways;

a plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions including at least one anti-microbial property actuatable by the presence of at least one microorganism, the plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions being included in at least one of the outer surface, or the inner surface of the body structure; and

means for determining the presence of at least one microorganism in at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions of the body structure.

32 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , further comprising a power source.

33 . (canceled)

34 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , wherein the at least one anti-microbial property includes at least one anti-microbial reservoir.

35 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , wherein the anti-microbial regions are selectively actuatable between at least a first actuatable state and a second actuatable state.

36 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , wherein the body structure further comprises one or more ports.

37 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , wherein the means for determining the presence of at least one microorganism in at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions of the body structure include at least one sensor.

38 .- 39 . (canceled)

40 . The insertable device system of claim 35 , wherein at least one of the inner or the outer surface further comprises at least one surface coating.

41 . The insertable device system of claim 40 , wherein the at least one surface coating includes at least one of an anti-microbial agent, electroactive polymer, petroleum jelly, silver gel, surfactant, alcohol gel, or other coating.

42 . The insertable device system of claim 40 , wherein the at least one surface coating includes at least one expandable material.

43 . The insertable device system of claim 42 , wherein the at least one expandable material is actively controllable.

44 . The insertable device system of claim 42 , wherein the at least one expandable material is configured to physically dislocate at least one microorganism on at least one of the inner or outer surface of the body structure.

45 .- 46 . (canceled)

47 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , wherein the insertable device includes at least one of a shunt, catheter, implant, valve, medical port, endoscope, or other catheter assembly.

48 . The insertable device system of claim 31 , wherein the insertable device includes at least one of a urological catheter, central line, surgical drain, heart valve, breast implant, facial implant, buttock implant, stomach partition clip, flexible or rigid endoscope, or other catheter assembly.

49 . An insertable device system, comprising:

a computer-recordable medium bearing:

a body structure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining one or more fluid-flow passageways;

a plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions including at least one anti-microbial property actuatable by the presence of at least one microorganism, the plurality of independently addressable anti-microbial regions being included in at least one of the outer surface or the inner surface of the body structure; and

one or more instructions for determining the presence of at least one microorganism in at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions of the body structure.

50 . (canceled)

51 . An insertable device, comprising:

a body structure having an outer surface and an inner surface defining one or more fluid-flow passageways, the body structure having one or more anti-microbial regions that are selectively actuatable between a first anti-microbial state and a second anti-microbial state; and

an actively controllable circuit configured to deliver in vivo an external stimulus to one or more surface anti-microbial regions of the body structure for a character and time sufficient to actuate from a first anti-microbial state to a second anti-microbial state.

52 . The insertable device of claim 51 , further comprising a power source.

53 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the at least one anti-microbial property includes at least one anti-microbial agent, or anti-microbial nanostructure.

54 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the at least one anti-microbial property includes at least one anti-microbial reservoir.

55 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the anti-microbial regions are selectively actuatable between at least a first actuatable state and a second actuatable state.

56 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the body structure further comprises one or more ports.

57 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the means for determining the presence of at least one microorganism in at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions of the body structure include at least one sensor.

58 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the at least one of the independently addressable anti-microbial regions of the body structure includes a plurality of nanostructures configured in at least one spatial or temporal pattern.

59 . (canceled)

60 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein at least one of the inner or the outer surface further comprises at least one surface coating.

61 . The insertable device of claim 60 , wherein the at least one surface coating includes at least one of an anti-microbial agent, electroactive polymer, petroleum jelly, silver gel, surfactant, alcohol gel, or other coating.

62 . The insertable device of claim 60 , wherein the at least one surface coating includes at least one expandable material.

63 . The insertable device of claim 62 , wherein the at least one expandable material is actively controllable.

64 . The insertable device of claim 62 , wherein the at least one expandable material is configured to physically dislocate at least one microorganism on at least one of the inner or outer surface of the body structure.

65 . The insertable device of claim 62 , wherein the at least one expandable material is configured to physically dislocate at least one microorganism to at least one microbial destructive site of the body structure.

66 . The insertable device of claim 62 , wherein the at least one expandable material is configured to expand in at least one longitudinal or transverse motion.

67 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the insertable device includes at least one of a shunt, catheter, implant, valve, medical port, endoscope, or other catheter assembly.

68 . The insertable device of claim 51 , wherein the insertable device includes at least one of a urological catheter, central line, surgical drain, heart valve, breast implant, facial implant, buttock implant, stomach partition clip, flexible or rigid endoscope, or other catheter assembly.

69 . (canceled)

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 19, 2011
From: BOYDEN, EDWARD S.; DIAZ, ROY P.; HYDE, RODERICK A.; KARE, JORDIN T.; SWEENEY, ELIZABETH A.; WOOD, LOWELL L., JR.
To: SEARETE LLC
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