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US 4,550,447 AGranted
Vascular graft prosthesis
AssigneeShiley Incorporated
InventorsLouis Seiler, Jr., Robert F. Rosenbluth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A porous tube suitable for use as a vascular graft prosthesis is disclosed. It is reinforced by external ribs, integral with the tube wall. These ribs are generally transverse to the tube axis and less porous than the wall. Suitable tubing can be made from polymers exhibiting a significant degree of crystallinity, preferably polytetrafluoroethylene. Methods for making these ribbed, porous tubes are also disclosed.
Claims9
A flexible, monolithic, polymer tube comprising:
- a porous tube wall having a microstructure of interconnected nodes and fibers, and
- a generally transverse regular, repeating pattern of external ribs on said wall, said ribs being an integral part of said wall and being less porous than said wall.
A vascular graft prosthesis comprising:
- a flexible, monolithic, polymer tube, said tube having a wall and a closely spaced, generally transverse regular, repeating pattern of ribs on the external surface of said wall,
- said wall, having a microstructure of interconnected nodes and fibers and having a porosity suitable for use as a vascular graft, and
- said ribs being an integral part of said wall and being less porous than said wall.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.