Vascular filter with improved strength and flexibility
First Claim
1. A medical device configured to be disposed within a body lumen, said device comprising:
- a membrane; and
reinforcement fibers coupled to said membrane to form a composite structure therefrom.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical device including a fiber-reinforced membrane. The fibers can be embedded into or attached to the membrane to strengthen the device. In one embodiment, the device can be a vascular filter that is attached to an expandable frame. In one device fabrication approach, the device can be made by building it up around a mold. In addition, the mold can be coated with an intermediate material that is easily separated from the membrane material. The intermediate material is covered with the membrane material, after which the fibers are placed in contact with the membrane material that covers the intermediate material. The fibers can then be covered with additional membrane material to embed the fibers into the membrane, after which the mold may be removed by melting, dissolving, deforming or related techniques. Similarly, the intermediate material can be removed from the membrane.
225 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A medical device configured to be disposed within a body lumen, said device comprising:
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a membrane; and
reinforcement fibers coupled to said membrane to form a composite structure therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A medical device configured to be disposed within a body lumen, said device comprising:
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a composite structure comprising;
a membrane; and
reinforcement fibers coupled to said membrane to form said composite structure;
a frame attached to said reinforcement fibers; and
an elongated member attached to at least one of said frame or said composite structure to facilitate movement of said composite structure into said body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A vascular filter assembly comprising:
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a filter comprising;
a membrane defining a plurality of holes therein; and
reinforcement fibers coupled to said membrane to form a composite structure;
an expandable frame attached to said reinforcement fibers; and
a guide wire attached to at least one of said frame or said filter to facilitate movement of said assembly into said body lumen. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. A medical device configured to be disposed within a body lumen, said device comprising:
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a composite structure comprising;
a membrane; and
first fibers coupled to said membrane to form said composite structure;
a frame attached to said composite structure;
second fibers coupled to said frame;
a guide wire coupled to said frame and said composite structure through said first and second fibers such that said first and second fibers and said guide wire are configured to move said composite structure and said frame. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A medical device configured to be disposed within a body lumen, said device comprising:
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a non-filter membrane; and
reinforcement fibers coupled to said membrane to form a composite structure therefrom.
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61. A method of fabricating a medical device configured to be disposed within a body lumen, said method comprising:
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providing a removable mold in substantially a shape of said device;
covering said mold with membrane material;
placing fibers in contact with said membrane material;
covering said fibers with additional membrane material to form a composite structure; and
removing said mold. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification