Method of making an intraluminal stent graft

• US 6,357,104 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings Incorporated (W.L. Gore and Associates)
• Inventors: Myers, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie E.
• Application Number:
  US09/306,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/198, 623/1, 623/12, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.13, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.18, 623/1.19, 623/1.2, 623/1.23, 623/1.39, 623/1.46, 623/1.51, 623/1.53, 295/271, 295/272, 294/58, 294/60, 295/274
• US Class Current: 29/527.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/90 characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/072 Encapsulated stents, e.g. wire or whole stent embedded in lining
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/075 the stent being loosely attached to the graft material, e.g. by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1005 by inward collapsing of portion of hollow body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1033 Flexible sheet to cylinder lamina
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating

Abstract

A tubular intraluminal graft in the form of a tubular diametrically adjustable stent having a tubular covering of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene which is less than 0.10 mm thick. The covering may be on the exterior surface of the stent, or on the interior surface of the stent, or both. The covering may be affixed to the stent by an adhesive which is preferably fluorinated ethylene propylene.

Claims

1. A method of making a tubular intraluminal graft comprising

a) braiding a length of wire to create a braided tubular form;

b) providing the braided tubular form with an exterior covering of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene; and

c) everting the braided tubular form wherein the exterior covering of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tape becomes a luminal covering, wherein the braided tubular form having the luminal covering has a diameter which can be reduced by the application of force and will subsequently return to the diameter following the release of the force.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the braided tubular form is provided with an exterior covering of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene by helically wrapping an exterior surface of the braided tubular form with a tape of porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the length of wire is provided with a covering of polytetrafluoroethylene prior to braiding the length of wire to form the braided tubular form.