Flexible implant

• US 20040034373A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon GmbH (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon GmbH (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schuldt-Hempe, Barbara, Walther, Christoph
• Application Number:
  US10/363,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034373A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/0068 having a special mesh pattern
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/08 Hernia repair mesh

Abstract

A flexible implant has a mesh-like basic structure of monofilaments, the diameter of which lies in the range from 0.02 mm to 0.30 mm and the bending elasticity modulus of which is smaller than 3500 N/mm². The basic structure contains pores the size of which lies in the range from 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm over more than 90% of the total area of the pores. The bending force of the basic structure, measured in a three-point bending test with a span of 11 mm and normalized to a sample width of 10 mm, is 30 mN at most.

Claims

1. Flexible implant, with a mesh-like basic structure of monofilaments, the diameter of which is in the range from 0.02 mm to 0.30 mm and the bending elasticity modulus of which is smaller than 3500 N/mm², the basic structure containing pores the size of which lies in the range from 1.5 mm to 8.0 mm over more than 90% of the total area of the pores, and the bending force of the basic structure, measured in a three-point bending test with a span of 11 mm and normalized to a sample width of 10 mm, being 30 mN at most.

2. Implant according to claim 1, characterized in that the basic structure contains monofilaments of at least one of the following materials:

thermoplastically workable fluorinated homopolymers, thermoplastically workable fluorinated copolymers, polyolefins, mixtures of the aforementioned materials.

3. Implant according to claim 2, characterized in that the basic structure contains monofilaments of at least one of the following materials:

polyvinylidene fluoride, copolymers of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropene, mixtures of the aforementioned materials.

4. Implant according to claim 3, characterized in that the basic structure contains monofilaments of at least one of the following materials:

mixtures of polyvinylidene fluoride and a copolymer of 95 wt.-% vinylidene fluoride and 5 wt.-% hexafluoropropene, preferably in the mixture ratio 50/50 or 80/20.

5. Implant according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the basic structure contains monofilaments of a resorbable material.

6. Implant according to claim 5, characterized in that the basic structure contains monofilaments of at least one of the following materials:

poly-p-dioxanone, copolymers of glycolides and caprolactones.

7. Implant according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tensile strength of at least part of the monofilaments is at least 400 N/mm².

8. Implant according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the basic structure contains a weft-knitted product or a warp-knitted product, preferably a warp-knitted product made as crochet galloon ware.