Microfabricated therapeutic actuators and release mechanisms therefor

Patent · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872987

Lee, Abraham P ^[1]; Fitch, Joseph P ^[2]; Schumann, Daniel L ^[3]; Da Silva, Luiz ^[4]; Benett, William J ^[2]; Krulevitch, Peter A ^[5]

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1. Walnut Creek, CA
2. Livermore, CA
3. Concord, CA
4. Danville, CA
5. Pleasanton, CA

Microfabricated therapeutic actuators are fabricated using a shape memory polymer (SMP), a polyurethane-based material that undergoes a phase transformation at a specified temperature (Tg). At a temperature above temperature Tg material is soft and can be easily reshaped into another configuration. As the temperature is lowered below temperature Tg the new shape is fixed and locked in as long as the material stays below temperature Tg. Upon reheating the material to a temperature above Tg, the material will return to its original shape. By the use of such SMP material, SMP microtubing can be used as a retaining/release actuator for the delivery of material, such as embolic coils, for example, through catheters into aneurysms, for example. The microtubing can be manufactured in various sizes and the phase change temperature Tg is determinate for an intended temperature target and intended use. The SMP microtubing can be positioned around or within an end of a deposit material. Various heating arrangements can be utilized with the SMP release mechanism, and the SMP microtubing can include a metallic coating for enhanced light absorption.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 6059815
• OSTI ID: 872987
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/606/
absorption
actuator
actuators
aneurysms
arrangements
below
below temperature
catheters
change
change temperature
coating
coils
configuration
delivery
deposit
deposit material
determinate
easily
easily reshaped
embolic
embolic coil
embolic coils
enhanced
enhanced light
example
fabricated
fixed
heating
intended
intended temperature
light
light absorption
locked
lowered
lowered below
manufactured
material
material stays
mechanism
mechanisms
memory
memory polymer
metallic
metallic coating
microfabricated
microfabricated therapeutic
microtubing
original
original shape
phase
phase change
phase transformation
polymer
polyurethane-based
polyurethane-based material
positioned
reheating
release
release actuator
release mechanism
reshaped
retaining
return
shape
shape memory
sizes
smp
smp material
smp microtubing
soft
specified
specified temperature
stays
stays below
target
temperature
temperature target
temperature tg
tg
tg material
therapeutic
therapeutic actuator
therapeutic actuators
transformation
undergoes
utilized
various
various sizes