Porous ventricular catheter
AssigneeCordis Corporation
InventorsSandra L. Miller, Leonard Pinchuk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ventricular catheter and a method for making same are provided wherein the catheter comprises a tubing assembly including a porous portion and a non-porous portion. The porous portion has a high surface density of very fine pores which are substantially resistant to blockage under in vivo conditions yet allow cerebrospinal fluid to pass therethrough when the assembly is attached to a cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system for the treatment of hydrocephalus. The porous portion is generally formed by extruding a fiber forming polymer which is wound directly onto a mandrel.
Claims29
A method for manufacturing a biocompatible ventricular catheter, comprising:
- providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter;
- providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to in vivo blockage, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel;
- bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion;
- and
- closing and sealing the remaining open end of said porous portion.
A ventricular catheter made by a process, comprising:
- providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter;
- providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to blockage thereof after the tubing assembly is implanted, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel;
- bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion;
- and
- closing and sealing the remaining opened end of said porous portion.
An implantable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system including a hydrocephalus pressure relief valve, draining means and a ventricular catheter, wherein the improvement comprises said ventricular catheter being made by a process including:
- providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter;
- providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous. portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to in vivo blockage, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel;
- bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion;
- and
- closing and sealing the remaining open end of said porous portion.
An implantable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system including cerebrospinal fluid draining means, and a ventricular catheter, said ventricular catheter comprising:
- a non-porous portion of biocompatible polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter;
- a porous portion of biocompatible polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion consisting of a non-woven cylinder of overlying polymeric fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface, said non-woven cylinder porous portion being bonded to said non-porous tubing portion;
- and
- one of the ends of said porous portion is closed and sealed
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.