Detection of leakage in implants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10631975-B2
Application number	US-201615274107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Sep 23, 2016
Publication date	Apr 28, 2020
Grant date	Apr 28, 2020

Abstract

An implant includes a hollow biocompatible shell, first and second electrodes, filling material, and circuitry. The hollow biocompatible shell is configured to be implanted in an organ of a patient. The first electrode is disposed inside the shell. The second electrode has at least one surface disposed outside the shell. The filling material, which includes carbon nanotubes (CNT), fills the shell and is configured, in response to a rupture occurring in the shell, to change a spatial orientation of the CNT and thus to cause a change in electrical conductivity of the filling material between the first electrode and the rupture. The circuitry is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and is configured to detect the rupture by sensing the change in the electrical conductivity of the CNT, and to produce an output indicative of the detected rupture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An implant, comprising:
a hollow biocompatible shell, which is configured to be implanted in an organ of a patient;
a first electrode disposed inside the shell;
a second electrode having at least one surface disposed outside the shell;
filling material comprising a gel and carbon nanotubes, which fills the shell, and wherein the carbon nanotubes are randomly oriented in the gel when the shell is not ruptured, and in response to a rupture occurring in the shell, some of the gel leaks through the rupture, and the carbon nanotubes change orientation and align toward the rupture, and thus cause a change in electrical conductivity of the filling material between the first electrode and the rupture; and
circuitry, which is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and is configured to detect the rupture by sensing the change in the electrical conductivity of the filling material, and to produce an output indicative of the detected rupture.

2. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the filling material comprises silicone gel in which the carbon nanotubes are doped.

3. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the second electrode is electrically insulated from the filling material and electrically connected to a tissue of the organ surrounding the shell.

4. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to issue an alert indicative of the rupture to a device external to the patient body.

5. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to wirelessly receive electrical power from a device external to the patient body.

6. The implant according to claim 1 , and comprising a power source having first and second terminals that are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes, respectively, wherein, in response to the rupture, the power source is configured to drive electrical current via the first and second electrodes and via tissue of the organ surrounding the shell.

7. The implant according to claim 6 , wherein the power source is disposed inside the shell.

8. The implant according to claim 6 , wherein the circuitry is configured to charge the power source wirelessly from a device external to the patient body.

9. The implant according to claim 6 , wherein the power source is configured to supply power to the circuitry.

10. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the shell is configured to electrically insulate the filling material from the organ.

11. The implant according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to generate an internal operating power wirelessly from a field induced by a device external to the patient body.

12. A system, comprising:
an implant, comprising:
a hollow biocompatible shell, which is configured to be implanted in an organ of a patient;
a first electrode disposed inside the shell;
a second electrode having at least one surface disposed outside the shell;

filling material comprising a gel and carbon nanotubes, which fills the shell, and wherein the carbon nanotubes are randomly oriented in the gel when the shell is not ruptured, and in response to a rupture occurring in the shell, some of the gel leaks through the rupture, and the carbon nanotubes change orientation and align toward the rupture, and thus cause a change in electrical conductivity of the filling material between the first electrode and the rupture; and
circuitry, which is electrically connected to the first and second electrodes and is configured to detect the rupture by sensing the change in the electrical conductivity of the filing material, and to produce an output indicative of the detected rupture; and
an external device, which is configured to receive the output from the implant and to issue an alert indicative of the detected rupture.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the external device is configured to wirelessly induce electrical power to the circuitry.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the circuitry is configured to generate an internal operating power wirelessly from a field induced by a device external to the patient body.

Assignees

• Biosense Webster Israel Ltd

Inventors

• Govari Assaf
• Beeckler Christopher Thomas
• Algawi Yehuda
• Ephrath Yaron

Classifications

• A61F2210/0076

  multilayered, e.g. laminated structures · CPC title

• A61B5/6867

  specially adapted to be attached or implanted in a specific body part (A61B5/6847 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2240/002

  Designing or making customized prostheses · CPC title

• A61F2250/008

  Alarm means · CPC title

• A61F2250/0003

  having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas · CPC title