Prosthetic vascular graft
OwnerDavid Goldfarbinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A prosthetic vascular graft with walls less than O.8B millimeters in thickness and formed of highly expanded polytetrafluoroethylene with a microscopic superstructure of nodes and interconnecting fibrils, which nodes are substantially uniformly separated by an average distance greater than a typical red cell. The superstructure of the graft controls transmural cellular ingrowth and assures the establishment and maintenance of a thin,viable neointima.
Claims27
A prosthetic vascular structure of expanded polytetrafluorethylene having:
- (i) a macroscopically tubular configuration with proximal and distal ends, and
- (ii) a microscopic superstructure of irregularly spaced nodes of various sizes and shapes interconnected by fibrils;
- said vascular structure further comprising:
- a. an average wall thickness in the range between 0.2 and 0.8 millimeters;
- b. a substantially uniform distribution of nodes throughout said tubular configuration;
- c. an average density in the range between 0.2 and 0.5 grams per milliliter;
- and
- d. an average distance between said nodes small enough to prevent transmural blood flow and thrombosis but no less than the maximum dimension of an average red cell;
- whereby said structure may provide for the smooth flow of blood between at least two points in a living organism while controlling cellular ingrowth through the wall of the tubular configuration to promote and nourish a thin, viable neointima over the inner surface thereof and to firmly attach said prosthetic vascular structure to adjacent tissue of said living organism.
A prosthetic vascular structure of expanded polytetrafluorethylene having:
- (i) a macroscopically tubular configuration with proximal and distal ends, and
- (ii) a microscopic superstructure of irregularly spaced nodes of various sizes and shapes interconnected by fibrils;
- said vascular structure including:
- a. an average inside diameter in the range between 2 and 6 millimeters;
- b. an average wall thickness in the range between 0.2 and 0.8 millimeters;
- c. a substantially uniform distribution of generally ellipsoidal nodes having major axes disposed in a generally radial orientation with respect to the tubular configuration and an average minor axis dimension less than 18 microns;
- d. an average density in the range between 0.2 and 0.8 grams per milliliter;
- and
- e. a tensile strength in the range of between 2500 and 6500 pounds per square inch;
- whereby said structure may provide for the smooth flow of blood between at least two points in a living organism while controlling cellular ingrowth through the wall of the tubular configuration to promote and nourish a thin, viable neointima over the inner surface thereof and to firmly attach said prosthetic vascular structure to adjacent tissue of said living organism.
A prosthetic vascular graft of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having a microscopic structure of nodes interconnected by fibrils comprising:
- a wall thickness within the range between 0.2 and 0.8 millimeters;
- a substantially uniform distribution of nodes;
- an average density in the range between 0.2 and 0.5 grams per milliliter;
- and
- an average distance between nodes in the range of between about 6 to 80 microns.
A prosthetic vascular structure of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having:
- (i) a macroscopically tubular configuration with proximal and distal ends, and
- (ii) a microscopic superstructure of irregularly spaced nodes of various sizes and shapes interconnected by fibrils;
- said vascular structure including:
- a. an average inside diameter in the range between 2 and 6 millimeters;
- b. an average wall thickness in the range between 0.2 and 0.8 millimeters;
- c. a substantially uniform distribution of generally ellipsoidal nodes having minor axes disposed in a generally transverse orientation with respect to the radial direction of the tubular configuration and an average minor axis dimension less than 18 microns;
- d. an average density in the range between 0.2 and 0.5 grams per milliliter;
- and
- e. an average distance between said nodes small enough to prevent transmural blood flow and thrombosis but no less than the maximum dimension of an average red cell;
- whereby said structure may provide for the smooth flow of blood between at least two points in a living organism while controlling cellular ingrowth through the wall of the tubular configuration to promote and nourish a thin, viable neointima over the inner surface thereof and to firmly attach said prosthetic vascular structure to adjacent tissue of said living organism.
An artificial vascular prosthesis comprising expanded, porous, polytetrafluorocthylene having a microstructure consisting of nodes interconnected by fibrils which permits tissue ingrowth, wherein an average distance between nodes is not less than about 6 microns and is small enough to prevent transrmural blood flow.
A prosthetic vascular graft of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having a microscopic structure of nodes interconnected by fibrils, said graft comprising:
- a wall thickness greater than about 0.2 millimeters and less than about 0.8 millimeters;
- and
- an average distance between nodes in the range of between about 6 to 80 microns.
A prosthetic vascular graft of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having a microscopic structure of nodes interconnected by fibrils, said graft comprising:
- a wall thickness greater than about 0.2 millimeters and less than about 0.8 millimeters;
- an average density in the range of between about 0.2 and 0.5 grams per milliliter;
- and
- an average distance between nodes in the range of between about 6 to 80 microns.
An artificial vascular prosthesis comprising expanded, porous, polytetrafluoroetylene having a microstructure consisting of nodes interconnected by fibrils which permits tissue ingrowth, wherein an average distance between nodes is not less than about 6 microns and is not greater than about 80 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.