Cardiovascular prosthetic devices and implants with porous systems

• US 4,936,317 A
• Filed: 12/08/1986
• Issued: 06/26/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacesetter Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: David C. Macgregor
• Inventors: MacGregor, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/924,060
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 128/784-786, 128/419 P, 604/890-892, 604/93, 604/890.1, 604/891.1, 604/892.1
• US Class Current: 607/120
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0077 Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth A61F2/30767 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/14 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/18 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/34 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/56 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 33/022 Metal or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0565 Electrode heads
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/00 Compositions of polyureas or polyurethanes; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12042 Porous component

Abstract

Novel cardiovascular prosthetic devices or implants having many useful cardiovascular applications comprise a porous surface and a network of interconnected interstitial pores below the surface in fluid flow communication with the surface pores. Tissue forms a smooth thin adherent coating or self-determining thickness on the porous surface making it resistant to the formation of the blood clots normally associated with the presence of foreign bodies in the blood stream. The device has particular utility in heart valves, pacemaker electrodes, blood pumps, blood stream filters, an artificial pancreas, vascular access tubes, small and large bore vascular grafts, blood pump diaphragms and vascular and intracardiac patches.

Claims

1. A controlled release device in the form of a heart pacemaker electrode comprising a hollow chamber formed in said electrode containing a source of material to be released to heart tissue engaged by said electrode and a porous tissue-engaging surface of said electrode communicating with said chamber through a network of interconnected pores, to permit said material to be released to said heart tissue through said network of interconnected pores, said porous surface being formed of rigid electroconductive material inert to blood, said porous surface having a porosity of at least 8% by volume up to the limit of coherence of the surface, an interstitial pore size of about 1 to about 1000 microns and a thickness up to about 1 cm.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said material is a hormone or a drug.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said porosity is about 10 to about 50% by volume and said thickness is about 25 to about 500 microns.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the contents of said chamber are separated from said network of interconnected pores by a semi-permeable membrane.

5. A controlled release device comprising a source of material to be released to body tissue and a porous tissue-engaging surface communicating with said material through a network of interconnected pores to permit the same to be released to tissue engaged by said surface, said porous surface being formed or rigid electroconductive material inert to blood, said porous surface having a porosity of at least 8% by volume up to the limit of coherence of the surface, an interstitial pore size of about 10 to about 1000 microns and a thickness up to about 1 cm.