US Patent 8128953 - Conductive therapeutic nanocoating for medical device

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8128953.html

This patent from Medtronic teaches another variation of anti-infective coating for implantable medical devices based on silver nanoparticles. Claim 1 reads:

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

a metallic housing;

a coating disposed on the housing;

the coating consist of a conductive carrier and a metallic anti-infective agent, wherein the conductive carrier is iridium oxide and the metallic anti-infective agent is silver nanoparticles.

US Patent 7844347 - CNT-polymer medical electrodes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7844347.html

Contacts between electrodes and biological tissue often include an unwanted impedance which make measurement or stimulation difficult. This patent from Medtronic teaches using an electrically conductive CNT polymer to reduce the contact resistance. Claim 1 reads:

1. In a medical device, comprising:

a lead body;

an elongated conductor extending through the lead body;

at least one electrode electrically coupled to the elongated conductor;

an electrically conductive adhesive layer on at least a portion of the at least one electrode; and

a polymer combined with a plurality of carbon nanotubes to render the polymer conductive and electrically coupled to the electrically conductive adhesive layer, the polymer comprising one of polyurethane and silicone, wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes comprise open ends arranged for contact with biological tissue when the at least one electrode is implanted in the body.

US Patent 7596415 - Biocompatible electrodes based on nanotube material

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7596415.html

This patent from Medtronic teaches a manufacturing method of a medical electrode using carbon nanotubes in a coating layer to improve electrical conduction and biocompatibility. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for manufacturing a medical device electrode that is biocompatible with body tissue, comprising:

applying a first conductive polymer layer onto a substrate;

curing the first polymer layer to bond the first polymer layer to the substrate;

applying a second conductive polymer layer to the cured first conductive polymer layer; and

depositing a powder containing a plurality of nanostructures onto the second polymer layer, prior to curing the second conductive polymer layer to form a surface that is biocompatible with body tissue.