Flexible medical article and method of making the same
AssigneeSmiths Medical ASD, Inc.
InventorSteven F. Bierman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.
Claims9
A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
- a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
- a needle disposed parallel to the dilator;
- and
- a hub over-molded to a first end of the tubular member of the medical article.
A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
- a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
- and
- a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
- wherein a first end of the tubular member of the medical article is flared.
A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
- a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
- and
- a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
- wherein a second end of the tubular member of the medical article forms a tip.
A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
- a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
- and
- a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
- wherein the tubular member is annealed so as to be capable of bending at an angle up to about 120° without kinking.
A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
- a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
- and
- a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
- wherein the tubular member is configured to withstand pressures up to 300 psi.
A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
- a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
- and
- a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
- wherein the tubular member is configured to withstand flow rates of up to 130 ml/min.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.