Ravel-resistant self-supporting woven vascular 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.
Claims27
A ravel-resistant and self-supporting tubular synthetic fabric vascular graft resistant to kinking, comprising:
- a plurality of warp yarns woven with at least one filling yarn to form a weave;
- the filling yarn including a stiffening component in the weave which is heat set in a rounded condition to render the tubular graft self supporting;
- and
- the weave including a low melting temperature fusible component having a melting temperature lower than the other yarns to bond to adjacent yarns when heat set.
A self-supporting singular velour woven synthetic fabric vascular graft, comprising:
- a plurality of warp ground yarns and a plurality of warp pile yarns woven together with at least one filling yarn to form a weave;
- the filling yarn including a stiffening component in the weave which is heat set in a rounded condition to render the graft self-supporting;
- and
- the weave including a low melting temperature fusible component which melts at a lower temperature than the other yarn to bond to adjacent yarn when heat set.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.