Differentially expanded vascular graft

• US 7,857,843 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2004
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lifeshield Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Henderson, Jamie
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse; David H.
• Application Number:
  US11/026,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.39, 623/1.4, 623/1.49, 623/1.54, 623/921, 623/1.32, 623/23.71, 623/23.76
• US Class Current: 623/1.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/16 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/507 for artificial blood vessels apparatus for applying cells on a blood vessel prosthesis A61F2/062
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/005 characterised by the choice of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/22 of tubes B29C61/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/246 Uncured, e.g. green
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7534 Cardiovascular protheses
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene

Abstract

A differentially expanded vascular graft for implantation within a body includes a PTFE tube formed of a homogeneous material. The PTFE tube has a longitudinal first portion which has been longitudinally expanded, and a longitudinal second portion which has been longitudinally expanded. The first and second portions have respective microstructures which are different from one another. A method and apparatus for making the differentially expanded vascular graft of the present invention facilitates the formation of the various expanded portions of the PTFE tube.

Claims

1. A differentially expanded vascular graft for implantation within a body, said vascular graft comprising:

a PTFE tube formed of a homogenous material,

said PTFE tube having a plurality of surfaces including a luminal surface and an abluminal surface and a wall extending therebetween,

at least one of said plurality of surfaces having a longitudinal first portion which has been longitudinally expanded and a longitudinal second portion which has been longitudinally expanded,

said first and second portions have respective microstructures which are different from one another, said first and second portions having respective longitudinal positions relative to said PTFE tube wherein said respective longitudinal positions are different from one another, said first portion being unsintered and said second portion being sintered to lock the microstructure thereof.

2. A differentially expanded vascular graft according to claim 1, wherein said microstructures of said first and second portions are different before the respective longitudinal expansions thereof.

3. A differentially expanded vascular graft according to claim 2, wherein the respective longitudinal expansions of said first and second portions are the same.

4. A differentially expanded vascular graft according to claim 1, wherein said first and second portions have substantially different lengths after said respective first and second expansions.