Composite self-cohered web materials

• US 7,604,668 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: Gore Enterprise Holdings Incorporated (W.L. Gore and Associates)
• Inventors: White, Charles F., Flynn, Charles, Farnsworth, Ted R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarazano; D. Lawrence
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thompson; Camie S
• Application Number:
  US11/193,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20070027552A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 428/359, 428/378, 428/35.4, 428/36.5, 428/296, 623/1.15, 623/1.22, 623/11.11, 623/23.74, 623/23.75, 623/23.58, 606/230, 424/423
• US Class Current: 623/23.74
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/146 Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/148 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1317 Multilayer [continuous layer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1372 Randomly noninterengaged or randomly contacting fibers, filaments, particles, or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1376 Foam or porous material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2525 Coating or impregnation functions biologically [e.g., insect repellent, antiseptic, insecticide, bactericide, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/681 Spun-bonded nonwoven fabric

Abstract

The present invention is directed to implantable bioabsorbable non-woven self-cohered web materials having a high degree of porosity. The web materials are very supple and soft, while exhibiting proportionally increased mechanical strength in one or more directions. The web materials often possess a high degree of loft. The web materials can be formed into a variety of shapes and forms suitable for use as implantable medical devices or components thereof.

Claims

1. An implantable article comprising melt-formed continuous filaments intermingled to form a porous web wherein said filaments are self-cohered to each other at multiple contact points, wherein said filaments comprise at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component covalently bonded to or blended with at least one amorphous polymeric component, wherein the filaments possess partial to full polymeric component phase immiscibility when in a crystalline state, wherein said implantable article has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components;

and a non-bioabsorbable polymeric material attached to said porous web.

2. The implantable article of claim 1 wherein the percent porosity is greater than ninety-one in the absence of additional components.

3. The implantable article of claim 1 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is covalently bonded to at least one amorphous polymeric component.

4. The implantable article of claim 3 wherein the components comprise a block copolymer.

5. The implantable article of claim 1 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is blended with the at least one amorphous polymeric component.

6. The implantable article of claim 5 wherein at least one of the components is a block co-polymer.

7. The implantable article of claim 1 wherein at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component has a melting point greater than eighty degrees centigrade (80°

C.).

8. The implantable article of claim 1 wherein said article is adapted for placement in an oral cavity of a mammal.

9. The implantable article of claim 1 wherein said non-bioabsorbable polymeric material is a fluoropolymer.

10. The implantable article of claim 9 wherein said fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene.

11. An implantable article comprising melt-formed continuous filaments intermingled to form a porous web wherein said filaments are self-cohered to each other at multiple contact points, wherein said filaments comprise a first semi-crystalline polymeric component covalently bonded to or blended with at least one additional semi-crystalline polymeric component, wherein the filaments possess partial to full polymeric component phase immiscibility when in a crystalline state, wherein said implantable article has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components;

and a non-bioabsorbable polymeric material attached to said porous web.

12. The implantable article of claim 11 wherein the percent porosity is greater than ninety-one in the absence of additional components.

13. The implantable article of claim 11 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is covalently bonded to at least one amorphous polymeric component.

14. The implantable article of claim 13 wherein the components comprise a block copolymer.

15. The implantable article of claim 11 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is blended with the at least one amorphous polymeric component.

16. The implantable article of claim 15 wherein at least one of the components is a block co-polymer.

17. The implantable article of claim 11 wherein at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component has a melting point greater than eighty degrees centigrade (80°

C.).

18. The implantable article of claim 11 wherein said article is adapted for placement in an oral cavity of a mammal.

19. The implantable article of claim 11 wherein said non-bioabsorbable polymeric material is a fluoropolymer.

20. The implantable article of claim 19 wherein the fluoropolymer is polytetrafluoroethylene.

21. An implantable article comprising melt-formed continuous filaments intermingled to form a porous web wherein said filaments are self-cohered to each other at multiple contact points, wherein said filaments comprise at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component covalently bonded to or blended with at least one amorphous polymeric component, wherein the filaments possess partial to full polymeric component phase immiscibility when in a crystalline state, wherein said implantable article has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components, and a porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene material attached to said porous web.

22. The implantable article of claim 21 wherein the percent porosity is greater than ninety-one in the absence of additional components.

23. The implantable article of claim 21 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is covalently bonded to at least one amorphous polymeric component.

24. The implantable article of claim 23 wherein the components comprise a block copolymer.

25. The implantable article of claim 21 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is blended with the at least one amorphous polymeric component.

26. The implantable article of claim 25 wherein at least one of the components is a block co-polymer.

27. The implantable article of claim 21 wherein at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component has a melting point greater than eighty degrees centigrade (80°

C.).

28. An implantable article comprising melt-formed continuous filaments intermingled to form a porous web wherein said filaments are self-cohered to each other at multiple contact points, wherein said filaments comprise a first semi-crystalline polymeric component covalently bonded to or blended with at least one additional semi-crystalline polymeric component, wherein the filaments possess partial to full polymeric component phase immiscibility when in a crystalline state, wherein said implantable article has a percent porosity greater than ninety in the absence of additional components, and a porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene material attached to said porous web.

29. The implantable article of claim 28 wherein the percent porosity is greater than ninety-one in the absence of additional components.

30. The implantable article of claim 28 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is covalently bonded to at least one amorphous polymeric component.

31. The implantable article of claim 30 wherein the components comprise a block copolymer.

32. The implantable article of claim 28 wherein the at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component is blended with the at least one amorphous polymeric component.

33. The implantable article of claim 32 wherein at least one of the components is a block co-polymer.

34. The implantable article of claim 28 wherein at least one semi-crystalline polymeric component has a melting point greater than eighty degrees centigrade (80°

C.).