Polymer coated stent

• US 6,733,524 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifeshield Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Tseng, David, Parsons, Bruce A., Donahue, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US10/067,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.46, 623/1.22, 623/1.13, 623/1--, 427/2--
• US Class Current: 623/1.46
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/07 Stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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

Abstract

A tubular intraluminal prosthesis includes a PTFE or ePTFE tubular structure such as a graft, and a tubular diametrically deformable stent circumferentially surrounding the tubular structure. The diametrically deformable stent includes a polymeric coating which allows for attachment to the tubular graft structure and enhances the biocompatibility and integrity of the composite prosthesis.

Claims

1. A method of forming a prosthetic device comprising the steps of:

providing an ePTFE tubular structure;

providing a tubular stent;

coating said stent with a flowable polymeric coating;

partially sintering said polymeric coating on said tubular stent;

placing said tubular stent circumferentially surrounding said ePTFE tubular structure; and

affixing said tubular structure to said stent by fully sintering said stent to said tubular structure.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric coating is polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the polymeric coating is powdered particulate polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric coating covers the entire stent.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said stent is a tubular diametrically deformable stent formed from an elongate wire helically wound with a plurality of longitudinally spaced turns into an open tubular configuration, each of said turns including successive upper and lower wave-like peaks.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the selective peaks of said upper and lower wave-like peaks of said stent are exposed exteriorly of said polymeric coating.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said flowable polymeric coating covers said tubular stent entirely.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said flowable polymeric coating covers said tubular stent partially.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said tubular stent is affixed to said tubular structure at selected locations.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein the tubular stent is affixed to said tubular structure at locations intermediate said upper and lower wave-like peaks.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric coating is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyurethane, fluorinated ethylenepropylene, silicone, silicone-acrylate, urethane-acrylate, urethane-silicone, and combinations thereof.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein said polymeric tubular structure is formed of polytetrafluoroethylene.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said tubular structure may be formed by extruding a tube of polytetrafluoroethylene.

14. A method according to claim 12 wherein said tubular structure is a textile graft formed by a method chosen from the group consisting of:

braiding, weaving, and knitting of textile strands.