Vascular prosthesis and method
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsPaul V. Trescony, Patrick Cahalan, Kenneth Keeney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vascular graft with improved endothelial cell adhesion can be achieved on a fluoropolymer surface of a vascular graft by treating the fluoropolymer with a plasma in the presence of a non-polymerizing gas capable of providing the fluoropolymer with anionic groups and binding a protein to the treated fluoropolymer. In a preferred embodiment, the fluoropolymer surface is a plasma deposited fluoropolymer. Also in a preferred embodiment, autologous endothelial cells are seeded onto the vascular graft prior to implantation of the vascular graft in the human body.
Claims5
A method for making a vascular prosthesis comprising in sequence the steps of:
- a. plasma coating a vascular graft material with a fluoropolymer;
- b. separately treating the deposited fluoropolymer with a plasma in an atmosphere including only non-polymerizing gases and including at least one non-polymerizing gas capable of producing anionic groups;
- and
- c. binding a protein to the treated fluoropolymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.