Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets are permanent magnets made from an alloy of neodymium, iron, and boron. They are the strongest type of permanent magnet available commercially. NdFeB magnets have numerous applications in the medical field, including surgical instruments.

NdFeB magnets are used in minimally invasive devices such as endoscopic assemblies for various procedures including gastroesophageal, gastrointestinal, skeleton, muscle and joints, cardiovascular, and neural. The magnets can be integrated into the tip of a catheter assembly and controlled by external magnetic systems for steerability and deflectability. NdFeB magnets are also used in open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to map and image anatomy, as an alternative to superconducting magnets which typically use coils of wire to produce a magnetic field.

NdFeB magnets are reactive to acids, humidity, basic solutions, electrical currents, human tissue, and even react just in open air. NdFeB alone is not biocompatible for medical device applications in the human body. The best way to ensure safe use of neodymium magnets in the body is to coat a biocompatible layer on the exterior of the magnet that hermetically seals the magnets. Various electroplaters across North America have attempted the process of plating these magnets for that purpose with little success. There are companies in Asia that offer this service with oftentimes poor process control and quality management, only adding to the risk of overseas supply chain control. An alternative to metalizing magnets is to use a perylene coating process as commonly used in the medical industry, perylene coating refers to organic coating materials with a polycrystalline or linear structure. A layer of perylene coating is less preferred in comparison to plating due to plating thickness build up being thinner, and the inconsistent corrosion protection that the perylene coating provides. Unfortunately, this alternative process of coating perylene on NdFeB typically results in pinholes from the porosity in the base material.

In summary, NdFeB magnets are used in minimally invasive devices such as endoscopic assemblies for various procedures including gastroesophageal, gastrointestinal, skeleton, muscle and joints, cardiovascular, and neural. The magnets can be integrated into the tip of a catheter assembly and controlled by external magnetic systems for steerability and deflectability. NdFeB magnets are also used in open MRI scanners to map and image anatomy. However, NdFeB magnets are reactive to acids, humidity, basic solutions, electrical currents, human tissue, and even react just in open air. Therefore, it is important to coat a biocompatible layer on the exterior of the magnet that hermetically seals the magnets. Our keywords include: neodymium iron boron, magnet, surgical instruments.