Medical Device with Structured Echogenic Coating Application and Method for Preparing Same

1 . An echogenically enhanced medical device comprising:

a body portion configured to be inserted within human or animal tissue, the body portion having a first acoustic impedance;

wherein the body portion further comprises at least one structured echogenic portion having a second acoustic impedance configured to enhance ultrasonic imaging of the medical device when inserted into a patient,

wherein the at least one structured echogenic portion comprises at least one of a structured shape and a discontinuous pattern.

2 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the body portion comprises one of: a needle; a catheter; a cannula; a guidewire; an electrical lead; an implantable device; a probe; an implantable fluid delivery port; a breathing tube.

3 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the body portion is formed from one or more of metal material, plastic material, ceramic material, and resin-based material.

4 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the second acoustic impedance is different from the first acoustic impedance.

5 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one echogenic portion is formed from a material that is different from a material of the body portion.

6 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the discontinuous pattern of the echogenic portion is formed by additive or subtractive methods.

7 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 6 , wherein the structured shape or discontinuous pattern is formed by printing an echogenic material onto the body portion.

8 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 6 , wherein the structured shape or discontinuous pattern is imprinted by using a laser to remove material in the echogenic portion.

9 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structured shape or discontinuous pattern is a symbol in the form of an arrow, an alphabetical letter, a number, a serial number, a date, a bullseye, a QR code, a bar code, a logo, or other shape configured to indicate the identity of the medical device.

10 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one structured shape or discontinuous pattern is a combination of alphabetical letters and/or numbers forming a date.

11 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the structured echogenic portion is formed by coating a portion of the body portion with an echogenic material.

12 . The echogenically enhanced medical device of claim 1 , wherein the echogenic portion is a portion of the body portion formed from an echogenic material.

13 . A method for preparing an echogenically enhanced medical device comprising the steps of:

providing a medical device having a body portion configured to be inserted within human or animal tissue, the body portion having a first acoustic impedance;

forming a structured echogenic portion having a second acoustic impedance, wherein the structured echogenic portion is configured to enhance ultrasonic imaging of the medical device when inserted into a patient,

wherein the at least one structured echogenic portion comprises at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of forming a structured echogenic portion includes applying a coating of an echogenic material onto at least a portion of the body portion of the medical device.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising a step of subtractively removing echogenic material from the echogenic coating to form the at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern.

16 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising a step of printing at least one additive structure onto the coating of echogenic material to form at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one structured shape or discontinuous pattern is a symbol in the form of an arrow, an alphabetical letter, a number, a serial number, a date, a bullseye, a QR code, a barcode, a logo, or other shape configured to indicate the identity of the medical device.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one structured shape or discontinuous pattern is a combination of alphabetical letters and/or numbers forming a date.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern is additively formed on the body portion of the medical device.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein at least one additive structure is printed on the body portion of the medical device to form the at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern.

21 . A method for identifying an echogenically enhanced medical device within a patient's body, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a medical device having a body portion configured to be inserted within human or animal tissue, the body portion having a first acoustic impedance;

forming at least one structured echogenic portion on the medical device body portion, the structured echogenic portion having a second acoustic impedance, wherein the structured echogenic portion is configured to enhance ultrasonic imaging of the medical device when inserted into a patient, wherein the at least one structured echogenic portion comprises at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern;

inserting the body portion of the medical device into the patient's body;

receiving data signals from an autonomous ultrasound imaging system, the data signals comprising information related to a plurality of ultrasound waves generated by an ultrasound probe of the autonomous ultrasound generating system; and

identifying the structured echogenic portion of the body portion of the medical device using the received data signals by identifying the at least one of a shape and a discontinuous pattern of the structured echogenic portion.