초록 ▼

According to the present invention there are provided antimicrobial catheters and other medical devices having controlled release of an antimicrobial metal or metal ion. Specifically, antimicrobial catheters and other medical devices manifest antimicrobial properties as a result of the incorporation

According to the present invention there are provided antimicrobial catheters and other medical devices having controlled release of an antimicrobial metal or metal ion. Specifically, antimicrobial catheters and other medical devices manifest antimicrobial properties as a result of the incorporation therein of antimicrobial microcapsules comprising an inorganic antimicrobial agent and a hydrophilic polymer.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A medical device having antimicrobial properties, said medical device having been made from or coated with an antimicrobial polymer composition comprising a hydrophobic matrix polymer and an antimicrobial additive dispersed therein wherein the antimicrobial additive is in the

What is claimed is: 1. A medical device having antimicrobial properties, said medical device having been made from or coated with an antimicrobial polymer composition comprising a hydrophobic matrix polymer and an antimicrobial additive dispersed therein wherein the antimicrobial additive is in the form of discrete particles of a water absorbing, water vapor absorbing and wettable hydrophilic polymer having encapsulated therein or dispersed therein one or more particles of at least one antimicrobial metal or metal ion containing inorganic antimicrobial agent, said antimicrobial agent being capable of releasing said antimicrobial metal or metal ion during use of said medical device and said hydrophilic polymer having a water absorption at equilibrium of at least 20% by weight, and wherein said discrete particles of the antimicrobial additive have a mean average diameter of greater than 2 μ and less than about 300 μ; provided that when the antimicrobial additive is of a core-shell type configuration comprising the antimicrobial agent as the core and the hydrophilic polymer as the encapsulating coating, the thickness of the hydrophilic polymer coating encapsulating the antimicrobial agent is from about 1 μ to about 15 μ and, when the antimicrobial additive is in the form of hydrophilic polymer particles having dispersed therein multiple particles of the antimicrobial agent, the antimicrobial additive comprises 100 parts by weight of the hydrophilic polymer and from 1 to 1000 parts by weight of the antimicrobial agent. 2. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic matrix polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, ABS, SAN, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon 6, nylon 6,6, nylon 4,6, nylon 12, phenolic resins, urea resins, epoxy resins, polyvinylchloride, polyurethanes, silicone polymers, polycarbonates, polyphenylene ethers, polyamides, polyethylene vinylacetate, polyethylene ethyl acrylate, polylactic acid polysaccharides, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimides, and polysulfones. 3. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial metal or metal ion is selected from the group consisting of silver, copper, zinc, tin, gold, mercury, lead, iron, cobalt, nickel, manganese, arsenic, antimony, bismuth, barium, cadmium, chromium, thallium and combinations thereof. 4. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial metal or metal ion is silver, sinc, copper or a combination of any two or all three of the foregoing. 5. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of metal salts, antimicrobial water soluble, glasses, antimicrobial metal ion-exchange type agents and combinations thereof. 6. The medical device of claim 5 wherein the antimicrobial agent is an antimicrobial metal ion-exchange type agent comprising a ceramic carrier having ion-exchanged antimicrobial metal ions. 7. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the ceramic carrier is selected from the group consisting of zeolites, hydroxyapatites, and zirconium phosphates. 8. The medical device of claim 6 wherein the antimicrobial agent is a zeolite that contains silver ions, alone or in combination with zinc or copper ions or both. 9. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic polymer is a polymer with water absorption at equilibrium of from about 50% to about 150% by weight. 10. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate, polyacrylamide, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, polysaccharides, polylactic acid, polyamide and polyurethane. 11. The medical device of claim 10 wherein the hydrophilic polymer is polyurethane. 12. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the microcapsule contains from 10 to 200 parts by weight of antimicrobial agent based upon 100 parts by weight of hydrophilic polymer. 13. A medical device according to claim 1 molded from said matrix polymer. 14. A medical device according to claim 1 wherein said matrix polymer is present as a coating. 15. A medical device according to claim 1 wherein said hydrophobic matrix polymer has a water absorption at equilibrium of less than about 2% by weight. 16. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic particles comprise a single particle of the antimicrobial agent encapsulated in the hydrophilic polymer, the thickness of said encapsulating polymer being from about 1 μ to about 10 μ. 17. The medical device of claim 1 wherein the hydrophilic particles comprise multiple particles of the antimicrobial agent dispersed in the hydrophilic polymer wherein the hydrophilic particles have a mean average particle size of from about 15 μ to about 300 μ. 18. A medical device according to claim 1 wherein said medical device is a catheter. 19. A medical device according to claim 1 wherein the water absorption at equilibrium capability of the hydrophilic polymer is selected so as to regulate the release of the antimicrobial metal or metal ion. 20. An antimicrobial catheter made from or coated with an antimicrobial polymer composition comprising a hydrophobic matrix polymer and an antimicrobial additive dispersed therein wherein the antimicrobial additive is in the form of discrete particles of a water absorbing, water vapor absorbing and wettable hydrophilic polymer having encapsulated or dispersed therein one or more particles of at least one antimicrobial metal or metal ion containing inorganic antimicrobial agent, said antimicrobial agent being capable of releasing said antimicrobial metal or metal ion during use of the catheter and said hydrophilic polymer having a water absorption at equilibrium of at least about 5% by weight, and wherein said discrete particles of the antimicrobial additive have a mean average diameter of greater than 2 μ and less than about 300 μ; provided that when the antimicrobial additive is of a core-shell type configuration comprising the antimicrobial agent as the core and the hydrophilic polymer as the encapsulating coating, the thickness of the hydrophilic polymer coating encapsulating the antimicrobial agent is from about 1 μ to about 15 μ and, when the antimicrobial additive is in the form of hydrophilic polymer particles having dispersed therein multiple particles of the antimicrobial agent, the antimicrobial additive comprises 100 parts by weight of the hydrophilic polymer and from 1 to 1000 parts by weight of the antimicrobial agent.