Apparatus and method for making flanged graft for end-to-side anastomosis
AssigneeImpra, Inc.
InventorsScott Randall, Roy H. Tang, Albert L. Lamay
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming a flanged polytetrafluoroethylene cuffed section from a tubular polytetrafluoroethylene graft. The flanged polytetrafluoroethylene graft is well suited for use as a distal bypass graft, for arteriovenous grafting, or as a hemodialysis access graft. The graft includes an integral terminal polytetrafluoroethylene flanged skirt or cuff section which facilitates an end-to-side anastomosis directly between an artery and the polytetrafluoroethylene flanged graft without need for an intervening venous collar or venous patch.
Claims19
A method for making a vascular graft, comprising the steps of:
- radially expanding at least a longitudinal section of a tubular graft member formed of microporous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene in a mold cavity to an expanded diameter which is greater than remaining radially unexpanded longitudinal sections of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tubular graft member, where a tapered longitudinal section is interdisposed between the radially expanded and radially unexpanded longitudinal sections of the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tubular graft member;
- removing the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tubular graft member from the mold cavity;
- and
- trimming the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tubular graft member to form a vascular graft having at least one flanged section or a collar section projecting from a distal end thereof.
An apparatus for making a flanged vascular graft, comprising:
- a molding tube member having first and second open ends;
- a first tubular mold block member having a central longitudinally oriented lumen and a mold face, the first tubular mold block being engageable within the molding tube member at the first open end thereof,
- a second tubular mold block member having a central longitudinally oriented lumen and a mold face, the second tubular mold block being engageable within the molding tube member at the second open end thereof,
- a common lumen defined by the each of the central longitudinally oriented lumens of the first and second tubular mold block members which are co-axially aligned relative to one another, the common lumen communicating between the first and second open ends of the molding tube member;
- a mold cavity defined by the mold faces of each of the first and second tubular mold block members and a circumferential section of the molding tube member;
- and
- means for retaining the first and second mold block members in a fixed position within the molding tube member comprising a plurality of apertures passing through each of the molding tube member, the first mold block member and the second mold block member, wherein said plurality of apertures are capable of variable alignment with one another, and a plurality of lock pin members engageable through the plurality of apertures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.