MEDICAL TOOLS AND DEVICES WITH IMPROVED ULTRASOUND VISIBILITY

• Main Authors: SNOW, ROBERT, ALLEN, WOLFE, HENRY, MALMGREN, HAKAN, AXELSSON, OSKAR, GJORSVIK, TORE, COFFEY, STEVEN, RYDBECK, ANNA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 31.08.2000
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ELEMENTS; DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROMTHE BODY; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; ELECTROTHERAPY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MAGNETOTHERAPY; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING; NUCLEAR PHYSICS; PHYSICS; RADIATION THERAPY; RADIOACTIVE SOURCES; ULTRASOUND THERAPY

A medical or surgical device or tool that is designed to be implanted or inserted inside the human or mammalian body, having at least part of its surface coated whereby the ultrasound visibility of said device or tool in vivo is enhanced, wherein the coating comprises one or more of the following: (i) a matrix material containing a plurality of contrast enhancing elements; (ii) magnesium; (iii) a liquid or polymer which alters its ultrasound imaging properties upon elevating the temperature from ambient to physiological temperature; (iv) a liquid or polymer which alters its ultrasound imaging properties as a result of a change in pH; (v) an essentially non-polymeric bio-compatible compound which forms a discontinuous coating. Preferably the device or tool is a radioactive source for use in brachytherapy, and in particular a radioactive seed. L'invention porte sur un instrument ou outil médical ou chirurgical devant être implanté ou inséré dans le corps d'humains ou de mammifères dont une partie au moins de la surface est revêtue d'un revêtement en renforçant la visibilité aux ultrasons in vivo. Ledit revêtement comprend: (i) un matériau matrice contenant différents renforçateurs de contraste; (ii) du magnésium; (iii) un liquide ou un polymère modifiant sa capacité d'imagerie aux ultrasons lorsque la température passe du niveau ambiant au niveau physiologique; (iv) un liquide ou un polymère modifiant sa capacité d'imagerie aux ultrasons lorsque le pH varie; (v) un composé biocompatible essentiellement non polymère formant un revêtement discontinu. L'instrument ou outil est de préférence une source radioactive s'utilisant en brachythérapie, et en particulier un grain radioactif.