Vascular graft with removable sheath
First Claim
1. A vascular graft comprising:
- a tube or porous material, for attachment to a blood vessel said tube having a first end and a second end and a predetermined length between said first end and said second end;
a removable sheath of non-porous material surrounding said tube for rendering said graft temporarily non-porous until blood working its way radially outward through said tube clots and seals said tube; and
an elongated, open loop of inelastic material for removing said sheath after said tube is sealed by the blood, wherein said loop(i) extends along said length and(ii) at least a portion of said loop is contained between said tube and said sheath whereby said sheath is torn along its length when said loop is pulled.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A porous graft is provided with a non-porous coating or sheath which does not adhere to the graft. After the graft is implanted into the patient, circulation is restored through the graft. The sheath is left in place temporarily while blood works its way through the wall of the porous graft to the non-porous sheath, where it is prevented from leaking. Clots form in the graft, sealing it. After a few minutes, the sheath is removed. The graft or the inside surface of the sheath can be pre-treated with a coagulant to accelerate clotting. The sheath is applied to the graft as a coating, e.g. by dipping or spraying, or as a separate sleeve, e.g. heat-shrinkable tubing. The sheath can be removed by cutting. Preferably, the sheath incorporates a string, strip, or ribbon of material which is attached to the sheath. For removal, the string is pulled, tearing the sheath which is removed with the string.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A vascular graft comprising:
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a tube or porous material, for attachment to a blood vessel said tube having a first end and a second end and a predetermined length between said first end and said second end; a removable sheath of non-porous material surrounding said tube for rendering said graft temporarily non-porous until blood working its way radially outward through said tube clots and seals said tube; and an elongated, open loop of inelastic material for removing said sheath after said tube is sealed by the blood, wherein said loop (i) extends along said length and (ii) at least a portion of said loop is contained between said tube and said sheath whereby said sheath is torn along its length when said loop is pulled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A vascular graft having concentric inner and outer tubes of different porosity, said graft characterized in that
an inelastic strip is between the inner and outer tubes and is attached to said outer tube for tearing the outer tube and removing the outer tube from the inner tube, whereby after said graft is attached to a blood vessel, blood working its way radially outward through said inner tube is stopped by said outer tube, the blood sealing said inner tube by clotting, whereafter said outer tube can be removed by pulling on said inelastic strip causing said outer tube to be torn along its length.
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12. A vascular graft having concentric inner and outer tubes of predetermined length and different porosity, said graft characterized in that
said inner tube is porous; -
said outer tube is a non-porous, removable sheath 0.5-5 mils thick; and said graft includes an elongated strip of inelastic material attached to said outer tube for removing said outer tube from said inner tube, whereby after said graft is attached to a blood vessel, blood working its way radially outward through said inner tube is stopped by said outer tube, the blood sealing said inner tube by clotting, whereafter said outer tube can be removed by pulling on said inelastic strip causing said outer tube to be torn along its length. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification