US Patent 7569626 Polymer composites for biomedical applications and methods of making

A biomedical polymer composite that exhibits ultra-low thermal conductivity properties. In a preferred embodiment, the biomedical polymer composite comprises a base polymer component with a dispersed thermally non-conductive filler component consisting of glass or ceramic nanospheres or microspheres that have a thermal conductivity of less than 5 W/m-K, and preferably less than 2 W/m-K. In one embodiment, the polymer composite is has an electrically conductive filler and can be used in a filament for treating arteriovascular malformations. In another embodiment, the polymeric composite can be used as an energy-coupling means to apply energy to tissue.