High strength biomedical materials
AssigneeAccess Vascular, Inc.
InventorsJames F. Biggins, Michael Bassett, Daniel Donahue
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Abstract
High strength biomedical materials and processes for making the same are disclosed. Included in the disclosure are nanoporous hydrophilic solids that can be extruded with a high aspect ratio to make high strength medical catheters and other devices with lubricious and biocompatible surfaces.
Claims33
A process for making a hydrophilic porous solid tube, comprising:
- with a polymeric mixture comprising at least one water soluble polymer and a solvent, the polymeric mixture having a concentration of at least 10% w/w of the at least one water soluble polymer, performing the steps of:
- heating the polymeric mixture to achieve a temperature above the melting point of the polymeric mixture,
- extruding the polymeric mixture as a tube;
- and
- removing the solvent from the tube at a temperature above a freezing point of the solvent until the tube is a porous solid, with the tube being a porous solid that comprises the at least one water soluble polymer, and the porous solid tube is made without covalent crosslinking agents that form covalent crosslinks between polymers extruded to make the porous solid, wherein
- the porous solid tube includes interconnected pores having a pore size of up to 100 nm in diameter and a Young's modulus of 5-100 MPa, at equilibrium water content (EWC) of the porous solid tube.
An article, comprising:
- a hydrophilic porous solid tube comprising at least one crosslinked water soluble polymer that forms the porous solid tube, the porous solid tube including interconnected pores having a pore size of up to 100 nm in diameter, with the porous solid tube having a solids content from 33% to 90% w/w at equilibrium water content (EWC) and a Young's modulus of 5-100 MPa at EWC, with the porous solid tube being free of covalent crosslinks between polymers that form the porous solid tube.
A catheter comprising a hydrophilic porous solid tube comprising at least one crosslinked water soluble polymer that forms the porous solid tube, the porous solid tube including interconnected pores having a pore size of up to 100 nm in diameter and having a solids content from 33% to 90% w/w at equilibrium water content (EWC) of the porous solid tube and a Young's modulus of 5-100 MPa, at EWC of the porous solid tube, with the porous solid tube being free of covalent crosslinks between polymers that form the solid tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.