Method and means for gold-coating implantable intravascular devices

• US 5,207,706 A
• Filed: 01/07/1991
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerald Menaker
• Original Assignee: Gerald Menaker
• Inventors: Menaker, M.D., Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Randall L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PREBILIC, PAUL B
• Application Number:
  US07/640,912
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/11, 623/12, 623/66, 427/2, 604/266
• US Class Current: 623/1.46
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00568 Coating made of gold or Au-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00928 Coating or prosthesis-covering structure made of glass or of glass-containing compounds, e.g. of bioglass
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/306 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L27/303 - A61L27/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/507 for artificial blood vessels apparatus for applying cells on a blood vessel prosthesis A61F2/062
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/088 Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 33/022 Metal or alloys

Abstract

Implantable vascular prostheses, formed of synthetic, woven fibers are coated with a thin layer of metallic gold sufficient to create a continuous coating over the surfaces of the fibers that come into contact with blood. The coating is applied by vapor deposition or sputtering to coat the fibers without blocking or bridging the interstices formed by the intersection of the fibers.

Claims

1. In a vascular graft for implanting into the blood circulatory system of a living recipient, said graft formed from a woven fabric of `synthetic` material polymeric substrate, said fabric characterized by interstices created by the woven nature of the fabric another, said graft having a surface formed by said fabric, said surface for exposure to the blood of said recipient, the improvement comprising:

a thin layer of metallic gold applied to coat said fabric forming said surface,

said layer applied to leave said interstices open and unblocked.

2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said vascular graft further comprises

a tubular body formed from said fabric,

said tubular body having an inner wall,

said inner wall coated with gold.

3. The construction of claim 1 wherein said layer of metallic gold is vapor-deposited onto said vascular graft.

4. The construction of claim 1 wherein said layer of metallic gold i sputtered onto said vascular graft.

5. The construction of claim 1 wherein said synthetic material is tetrafluoroethylene polymer.

6. The construction of claim 1 wherein said synthetic material is polyethylene glycol terephthalate.

7. The construction of claim 1 wherein said synthetic material is expanded microporous polytetrafluoroethylene.