Method for manufacturing stent-grafts
AssigneeAnson Medical Limited
InventorsPeter Phillips, Adrian Michael Woodward, Andrew Richard Buchanan Halket, Gail Beaton, Carl John Perks, Clive Graham Angel, Timothy Faulkner Frost
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sewing machine is provided which is capable of sewing reinforcing wire to tubular grafts in order to form stent grafts. A bobbin (which may be seated in a shuttle) carries a bottom thread through the bore of the tubular graft and forms a stitch in combination with a top thread carried on a needle which pierces the graft wall.
Claims25
A method for attaching reinforcement wire to the surface of a medical implant, comprising the steps of:
- a. determining the position at which the wire is to be attached,
- b. locating the wire proximate said position,
- c. employing a needle to move the wire closer to said position, wherein the needle is:
- (1) positioned on the side of the wire opposite to the position at which the wire is to be attached, with the tip of the needle disposed between the plane of the surface and the plane of the tangent of the wire parallel to the plane of the surface, and
- (2) moved towards said position such that it contacts the wire and moves it closer to said position;
- and
- d. moving the needle substantially perpendicular to the surface to make a stitch therein.
An apparatus for attaching reinforcement wire to the surface of a medical implant, comprising:
- a. a support for the implant,
- b. a needle to drive a first thread through the implant surface,
- c. a bobbin for carrying a second thread to make a stitch in combination with the first thread,
- c. means for locating the wire proximate to the position at which the wire is to be attached to the implant surface, and
- d. means for determining the level of the implant surface and controlling the height of the needle relative to said level,
- wherein the needle is moveable perpendicular and parallel to the plane of the implant surface, whereby the needle can be employed to move the wire closer to said position before making a stitch.
An apparatus for stitching thread to the wall of a tubular medical implant, comprising:
- a. a support for the implant,
- b. a needle to drive a first thread through the wall and into a bore of the implant, and
- c. a bobbin for carrying a second thread through an open end of the implant into said bore in order to form a stitch in combination with the first thread,
- wherein the needle and the bobbin are disposed so that the longitudinal axes thereof lie in a common plane.
A method for stitching thread to the wall of a tubular medical implant, comprising the steps of:
- a. driving a first thread through the wall and into a bore of the implant using a needle,
- b. forming a loop of the first thread,
- c. moving a bobbin carrying a second thread trough an open end of the implant into said bore,
- d. passing the second thread through the loop formed in the first thread,
- e. closing said loop in order to form a stitch, and
- f. withdrawing the bobbin from said bore,
- wherein the bobbin and the needle are disposed so that the longitudinal axes thereof lie in a common plane, and wherein the needle is withdrawn sufficiently before the second thread is passed trough said loop so that the bobbin and the needle do not make contact.
A method for attaching reinforcement wire to the wall of a tubular medical implant, comprising the steps of:
- a. positioning the wire proximate the intended attachment point,
- b. driving a first thread through the wall and into the bore of the implant using a needle,
- c. forming a loop of the first thread,
- d. moving a bobbin along the longitudinal axis of the implant in order to carry a second thread through the loop formed in the first thread,
- e. closing said loop in order to form a first stitch,
- f. withdrawing the needle from the implant,
- g. moving the needle to a position on the side of the wire opposite to the first stitch, and
- h. repeating the foregoing steps b-e to form a second stitch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.