iontophoretic structures in accordance with the invention may be divided into two categories : a composite material used to coat a medical device , or a plurality of discrete layered electrodes placed on the medical device , both of which categories are disclosed hereinbelow . the medical device can be a short - term , long - term , or permanent implant and includes such devices as : urinary catheters , vascular access catheters and introducer sheaths , fluid introduction tubing and fittings such as intravenous tubing , urinary drainage bags and tubing , chest drainage tubes , infusion pumps , pacing leads , tracheotomy tubes , ventilation tubes , prosthetic joints , heart valves , wound dressings , orthopedic pins or plates , or any other medical device used in an environment or application where anti - bacterial properties are a consideration . however , because urinary catheters are an especially attractive application for the iontophoretic structures , the ensuing detailed description is directed thereto . with respect to the first category of iontophoretic structure for a medical device , fig1 illustrates an exemplary iontophoresis catheter 10 that uses the composite material approach to kill bacteria . the iontophoresis catheter 10 is substantially identical to a normal or non - infection controlling catheter in that it is a hollow flexible tube comprising an elastomeric wall 12 having an inner surface 14 and an outer surface 16 , a proximal end 18 , and a distal end 20 . the generally cylindrical inner surface 14 defines a lumen 22 for the passage of fluid . both the proximal end 18 and the distal end 20 are provided with one or more openings 26 to allow the fluid to be introduced or evacuated from the lumen 22 . the distal end 20 is shaped to facilitate insertion or placement of the iontophoresis catheter 10 into the body . the iontophoresis catheter 10 may also be fitted with a retention device 28 , such as a balloon fitting , to prevent unintentional withdrawal of the iontophoresis catheter 10 from the body . fig2 is a partial sectional view of the iontophoresis catheter 10 of fig1 taken along the line a - a &# 39 ;, that depicts details of a composite material comprising galvanic materials , such as metal powders , in a conductive elastomeric matrix 30 that distinguishes the iontophoresis catheter 10 from prior art catheters . the wall 12 of the catheter comprises the conductive base material 30 , and a first and a second dissimilar metal powder , 32 and 34 respectively . the base material 30 is a conductive polymer similar to that used in static - proof bags for packaging charge - sensitive electronics in which the conductivity ( resistivity ) is controlled to a predetermined value by its composition . exemplary conductive polymers can be made from polymers including polyvinyl , polyester , polyethylene , polyurethane , or a naturally conductive polyvinylidene fluoride . when loaded with carbon or other conductive fillers , for example , these polymers can be made conductive and thereby used as the base material 30 for an iontophoresis catheter 10 . exemplary first and second metal powder combinations having an electrochemical half - cell potential difference include silver and gold , silver and copper , or silver and platinum mixed into the polymer at very low volume concentrations prior to extrusion fabrication of the composite catheter 10 . although these exemplary powders are relatively expensive , they are used in such minute quantities that their use does not adversely impact overall cost of the iontophoresis catheter 10 . for catheter applications in which the elastomeric wall 12 is extruded , it is feasible to make the entire wall 12 from the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 . however , foley catheters which are typically made of latex and / or silicone rubber are not extruded , but are generally dip - cast , and finish - coating in a final dip is a natural processing step in their manufacture . therefore , the iontophoresis catheter 10 can be made by finish - coating it with the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 . since rubber is generally inferior to plastic in terms of infection rates , overcoating with a castable plastic is advantageous in and of itself . when the composite catheter 10 is placed in contact with or immersed in a fluid that is electrolytic , such as saline , blood , drug preparations , or urine , the first and second metal powders 32 , 34 become an array of small batteries . specifically , each powdered metal granule embedded in the base material 30 that makes contact with the electrolytic fluid 24 becomes either an anode or a cathode , depending on the particular metals chosen as the first and second metal powders 32 , 34 . referring to fig3 a depiction of the iontophoresis effect created by the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 in the catheter of fig2 is shown . the first and second metal powders 32 , 34 act as electrodes and create a voltage potential therebetween , whereby electrons 36 migrate through the base material 30 and generate an electric current . metal ions 38 are thus driven into the conductive fluid 24 by iontophoresis . the electric current is regulated by the quantity and nature of metal powder 32 , 34 embedded in the base material 30 and by the conductivity of the base material 30 . these factors are adjusted so that the current and ultimate metal ion densities are in an efficacious and safe range by use of the following formula : ## equ1 ## wherein : &# 34 ; i &# 34 ; is the total average current per unit surface area ( amperes per cm 2 ); &# 34 ; ρ &# 34 ; is the volume resistivity of the conductive base material 30 ( ohm - cm ); &# 34 ; v &# 34 ; is the voltage produced by the two dissimilar metals powders 32 , 34 in the electrolytic fluid ; and &# 34 ; l &# 34 ; is the metal powder volume loading of the base material as a fraction ( ie 0 - 1 ). with respect to the above formula , the metal powders are assumed to be of the same granule size and of the same volume loading . in practice , they do not have to be the same size and volume loading . to achieve a current density between 10 - 8 to 10 - 6 amperes per mm 2 , which is the desired range to be bacteriostatic or bactericidal and yet not be so high as to cause ph changes or other deleterious mammalian cell reactions , the following exemplary values can be used in the above equation to define the composite material specifications : an iontophoresis catheter 10 incorporating the above described composite material has numerous advantages over the prior art with respect to effectiveness , controllability , and ease of use . foremost , bacterial potency is maximized because metal is guaranteed to go into solution as ions , thus producing a minimum ten - fold reduction in bacterial colonization rate . also , the iontophoresis catheter 10 does not need an external current source or controller because the iontophoresis current is self - generating and self - regulating . furthermore , because the metal powders 32 , 34 ( electrodes ) are dispersed through the base material 30 , and because the current level is very low , the electrodes are functional for months of use . there is also no place in the circuit where corrosion of the electrodes at the air / electrolyte interface can cause the entire catheter to become non - functional with regard to its infection resistance . finally , there is no change in procedure for placing or maintaining the iontophoresis catheter 10 because it is in many ways virtually identical to existing non - infection control devices in size and shape . as previously discussed , the composite material approach finds ready application on numerous other medical devices where antibacterial properties are desirable . fig4 is an illustration of the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 used to protect a pacing lead 40 . the pacing lead 40 connects the heart tissue to the control and monitoring apparatus of a cardiac pacemaker ( not shown ) via a wire 42 and an electrode 44 in the tissue . the wire 42 is shown covered with the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 . fig5 is a depiction of the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 used with a prosthetic device , such as an artificial hip joint 46 . the shaft 48 is shown coated with composite material 30 , 32 , 34 and implanted into a femur 50 . fig6 a shows an infusion pump 52 coated with the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 and connected to tubing 54 which may also be coated . the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 can also be coated onto a natural body structure 55 , such as a tooth , as illustrated in fig6 b . this is accomplished by painting the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 onto the surface to be protected while the base material 30 is in a liquified or softened state and then letting the base material 30 harden . in an alternative embodiment the base material 30 is binary adhesive , such as a catalytic , two - part , conductive epoxy mix . with further regard to catheters , a vascular access add - on device that benefits from the composite material approach for an iontophoretic structure is shown in fig7 wherein an ordinary catheter 56 is shown fitted with an infection control kit 58 incorporating the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 . the infection control kit 58 is an after - market device which includes a replaceable iontophoretic infection control sleeve 60 and an iontophoretic luer adaptor 62 for connecting the proximal end 18 of the catheter 56 to intravenous ( i . v .) tubing 64 . the sleeve 60 , made of or coated with the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 slips over the outer surface 16 of the catheter 56 to be inserted the body . the sleeve 60 covers only a short section of the catheter 56 near its proximal end 18 , but is long enough to enter the body wherein moisture will activate the iontophoresis process . the sleeve 60 thus protects the catheter surface 16 from infection . the luer adaptor 62 may also be made of or coated on the inner surface with the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 to protect the inner surface 14 of the catheter 56 from bacterial colonization progressing down to the catheter 56 from the inside of the i . v . tube 64 . the sleeve 60 is fabricated from one of the above referenced conductive base materials 30 ; and the luer adaptor 62 is made of a harder plastic , such as acrylic or polycarbonate . the sleeve 60 may be configured to accommodate a variety of catheter sizes . an adaptation of the composite material sleeve 60 can also be configured as a catheter introducer sheath 66 , shown in fig8 for inserting pulmonary artery ( swan - ganz or thermodilution ) catheters , temporary pacing leads , etc ., which may remain in place for several weeks . under normal circumstances , an introducer sheath is left in place with the catheter which it surrounds for a portion of its length , including the region where the device penetrates the skin . iontophoretic introducer sheaths 66 are easily manufactured with the composite material approach because they are predominantly made of polytetrafluorethylene ( teflon ®), vinyl ( pvc ), or polyethylene ( pe ), materials which can be loaded with carbon or other conductive fillers or made conductive by other means known in the art and then loaded as well as the first and second metal powders 32 , 34 . fig8 shows the introducer sheath 66 used in conjunction with a thermodilution catheter 68 . balloon and temperature sensing elements , 74 and 75 respectively , known to those skilled in the art , are shown on the distal end 20 . because the inside of the introducer sheath 66 is in intimate contact with the outer surface 16 of the elastomeric wall 12 , the composite material 30 , 32 , 34 of the introducer sheath 66 protects both the sheath 66 and the outer wall 12 of the thermodilution catheter 68 . like the iontophoresis catheter 10 , and the catheter 56 having an iontophoresis infection control kit 58 , the introducer sheath 66 is virtually identical in size , shape , and use as prior art devices . as described with respect to fig1 - 8 , various embodiments of the composite material category of the iontophoretic structure for a medical device have been illustrated . in composite material embodiments , the integral power source for driving oligodynamic metal ions into solution is the electromotive force created by dissimilar metal powders 32 , 34 embedded in and separated from each other by the conductive base material 30 of specifically created resistivity . referring now to fig9 - 11 , a variety of embodiments of the other category of iontophoretic structure for a medical device are shown which incorporate the plurality of discrete layered structures . in these embodiments a plurality of layered structures comprise dissimilar galvanic materials separated by a resistive layer . these structures may be incorporated in the above - recited medical devices during manufacture , or adhered to the surface of the devices as an aftermarket item . referring to fig9 a perspective view of an embodiment of an iontophoresis catheter 70 is shown , wherein the oligodynamic iontophoresis effect is achieved using a plurality of layered structures 72 on either the inner surface 14 , the outer surface 16 , or both of a non - conductive wall 12 . the layered structures 72 , while depicted in a circular configuration can be any shape , such as oval or square . fig1 depicts an alternative configuration of the iontophoresis catheter 70 , wherein the plurality of layered structures 72 are bands that surround the wall 12 . alternatively , the layered structures 72 can be a plurality of longitudinal strips . the embodiments of fig9 and 10 permit selective placement of a layered structure 72 on an isolated region of the wall 12 , or distribution of the layered structures 72 on the entire wall 12 . referring to fig1 , a partial cross section of the iontophoresis catheter 70 of fig1 along the line b - b &# 39 ; is shown , wherein the layered structures 72 are bands adhered to the inner surface 14 and outer surface 16 of the wall 12 . each layered electrode 72 comprises a first metal electrode 76 , a resistive layer 78 , and a second metal electrode 80 . as with the iontophoresis catheter 10 of fig1 the metals are biocompatible and form an electrical potential difference between them in an electrolytic fluid . whereas , in the iontophoresis catheter 10 of fig1 the conductive ( resistive ) base material 30 regulates the current flow between the first and second metals 32 , 34 , in this embodiment the ( conductive ) resistive layer 78 regulates the current flow between the dissimilar metals of the first and second electrodes 76 , 80 . for the iontophoresis catheter 70 of fig9 and 10 , wherein the first and second metal electrodes 76 , 80 of the layered structures 72 have a 1 volt potential between them , a current density of 10 - 8 amperes per mm 2 results if the thickness of the resistive layer 78 is approximately 10 micrometers and has a bulk conductivity of 10 11 ohm - cm and the exposed area of each of the electrodes 76 , 80 in the layered structures 72 is the same . typical combinations of metals used for the first and second metal electrodes 76 , 80 generate between 0 . 1 to 2 volts . therefore , the thickness of the above described resistive layer 78 can be between 1 and 20 micrometers . many other combinations of conductivity and thickness for the resistive layer 78 are possible to obtain the target current density . although the invention has been shown and described with respect to exemplary embodiments thereof , various other changes , omissions and additions in form and detail thereof may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention .
an iontophoretic structure for medical devices is provided that uses controlled electrical current derived from two dissimilar galvanic materials to drive oligodynamic metal ions into solution to kill bacteria on and near the device to which the structure is affixed . in one embodiment , a first galvanic material separated from a second galvanic material by a resistive material produces an anti - bacterial current flow when placed in contact with an electrolytic fluid . in another embodiment , a cylindrical elastomeric catheter incorporates a first and a second galvanic material separated by a resistive material which controls a current flow between the galvanic materials when the catheter is immersed in an electrolytic fluid . the galvanic materials can be dissimilar metal powders embedded in a conductive polymer substrate that forms an iontophoretic composite material , or dissimilar metals arranged in layers separated by a resistive layer . in yet another embodiment , the iontophoretic composite material is configured as an infection control sleeve that covers a portion of an ordinary catheter or cannula . methods of protecting implantable medical devices and body structures with the iontophoretic structures are also provided .