Ravel-resistant, self-supporting woven graft
AssigneeMeadox Medicals, Inc.
InventorPeter J. Schmitt
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Abstract
A ravel-resistant, self-supporting woven synthetic fabric vascular graft including a fusible fiber integrated into the weave in the filling yarn is provided. The graft is woven from multifilament polyester warp yarns which can be textured or flat. The filling yarn includes a low melting fusible fiber or resin which can be combined with a stiff monofilament. The monofilament component provides radial rigidity to improve kink and crush resistance. After heat setting, the low melting fusible resin fuses to orthogonal warp yarns at each intersection and provides ravel resistance to the finished graft. Improved kink resistance make the tubular grafts suitable for use in medium and small diameter peripheral applications. A preferred graft has a single velour outer surface and a smooth inner surface.
Claims38
A ravel-resistant woven synthetic fabric vascular graft, comprising:
- a plurality of warp ends woven with a filling yarn to provide a weave, and including a low melting temperature fusible component in the weave, wherein the low melting fusible component is a yarn of a bicomponent fiber having a high melting temperature core and a low melting temperature polymer sheath, the low melting temperature polymer sheath having a melting temperature lower than the remaining yarns to bond to adjacent yarns when heat set.
A self-supporting single velour woven synthetic fabric vascular graft, comprising:
- a plurality of warp ground ends, including multifilament yarn;
- a plurality of warp pile ends of multifilament yarn;
- and
- a filling yarn including a low melting temperature fusible component, the filling yarn further including a stiffening component in the weave to render the graft self-supporting, the low melting temperature component melting at a lower temperature than the other yarns to bond to adjacent yarns when heat set.
A ravel-resistant and self-supporting tubular synthetic fabric vascular graft resistant to kinking, comprising:
- a plurality of warp ends;
- and
- a filling yarn including a low melting temperature fusible component having a melting temperature lower than the other yarns to bond to adjacent yarns when heat set, the filling yarn further including a stiffening component in the weave to render the tubular prosthesis self-supporting.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.