Originally Published MPMN July 2009

BREAKTHROUGHS

Enhanced Chemistry Empowers Implant Battery with End-of-Life Prediction

Shana Leonard

Just because an implant battery is at the end of its life doesn’t mean that patients should be at the end of theirs. To prevent unexpected battery failure and the need for emergency replacement surgeries, EaglePicher Medical Power LLC has enhanced the chemistry of its lithium carbon monofluoride (Li/CFx) battery to include an end-of-life (EOL) indicator and a longer life span than competing products.

“An end-of-life indicator tells the doctor and the patient when the cell itself will completely discharge,” explains Joe Marotta, EaglePicher vice president and general manager. “[People in] the industry today are very interested in knowing when a cell discharges so that they can schedule surgeries and give patients a more comforting feeling as to when the battery will more or less not be useful any longer.”
Warning of impending battery depletion six months in advance, the end-of-life indicator provides surgeons and patients with ample time to plan for replacement. Furthermore, the chemistry of EaglePicher’s Li/CFx battery allows for more-accurate EOL prediction than competing products, according to Marotta. “Our EOLenables true end-of-life indication, whereas the industry today talks about it but has not yet perfected it. [EOL] is not as defined as the industry would like,” he adds.
In addition to better accuracy, EaglePicher says its battery has a 20% longer life span than competing products. The cell’s increased energy density allows for longer product life in the same package size or even enables the fabrication of smaller implants. High energy density also translates into the need for fewer implant and explant procedures, which patients appreciate.
Features of the company’s enhanced Li/CFx battery also include low self-discharge, a good rate capability for rapid capacitor charging throughout most of the cell’s life, the elimination of the initial voltage delay often seen in Li/CFx batteries, and telemetry capabilities. “The Li/CFx end-of-life chemistry allows true telemetry and communication between the cell and the doctor that monitors the performance of the device,” Marotta notes.
The battery is available in a variety of configurations ranging from less than 350 mAh up to 10 Ah. Neurostimulators, drug pumps, and body-fluid pumps and monitors, as well as cardiac implants, may also benefit from this battery.

EaglePicher Medical Power LLC
PLANO, TX
www.eaglepicher.com
Copyright ©2009 Medical Product Manufacturing News