Method of fabricating an implantable medical device

• US 8,458,879 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vactronix Scientific, LLC
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bio Prosthetic Surfaces, Ltd.
• Inventors: Palmaz, Julio C., Boyle, Christopher T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart, Jermie
• Application Number:
  US12/633,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20100154197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.13, 294/23, 294/24, 294/58, 295/271, 295/272, 427/2.24, 427/2.25, 427/2.26, 427/2.27
• US Class Current: 29/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0077 Special surfaces of prostheses, e.g. for improving ingrowth A61F2/30767 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0076 multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2240/001 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/35 by application of a magnetic field, e.g. magnetron sputtering C23C14/3457 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49812 Temporary protective coating, impregnation, or cast layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

Implantable medical grafts fabricated of metallic or pseudometallic films of biocompatible materials having a plurality of microperforations passing through the film in a pattern that imparts fabric-like qualities to the graft or permits the geometric deformation of the graft. The implantable graft is preferably fabricated by vacuum deposition of metallic and/or pseudometallic materials into either single or multi-layered structures with the plurality of microperforations either being formed during deposition or after deposition by selective removal of sections of the deposited film. The implantable medical grafts are suitable for use as endoluminal or surgical grafts and may be used as vascular grafts, stent-grafts, skin grafts, shunts, bone grafts, surgical patches, non-vascular conduits, valvular leaflets, filters, occlusion membranes, artificial sphincters, tendons and ligaments.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a suitable sacrificial substrate;

b. vacuum depositing at least one of a metallic and pseudometallic biocompatible material onto the sacrificial substrate thereby forming a film of the biocompatible material;

c. imparting a plurality of microperforations passing through the film of biocompatible material thereby forming the implantable medical device; and

,

d. separating the sacrificial substrate from the formed implantable medical device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step c, further comprises the step of removing portions of the biocompatible material to form the plurality of microperforations.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the removing step is selected from the steps of chemical etching, laser ablation and electrical discharge machining.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum depositing step further comprises depositing a plurality of film layers to form a multilayer film structure.

5. A method of fabricating an implantable medical device, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a pre-existing blank of at least one of a biocompatible metallic and pseudometallic material; and

,

b. removing sections of the pre-existing blank material to form a plurality of microperforations passing through the pre-existing blank material.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the removing step is selected from the steps of chemical etching, laser ablation and electrical discharge machining.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of vacuum depositing at least one of a metallic and pseudometallic biocompatible material onto the pre-existing blank material thereby forming a film of the biocompatible material.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the vacuum depositing step further comprises depositing a plurality of film layers to form a multilayer film structure.

9. A method of fabricating a microporous metallic implantable device, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a cylindrical substrate in a hollow cathode magnetron sputtering deposition device;

b. providing a cylindrical target of a nickel-titanium alloy;

c. thermally insulating the cylindrical target from a cooling jacket;

d. evacuating the deposition chamber to vacuum conditions;

e. depositing a metal at a substrate temperature, a target temperature, a gas pressure, and with a negative bias voltage to the substrate to form a deposited film;

f. forming a plurality of microperforations in the deposited film by removing regions of the deposited film; and

g. removing the deposited film to form the microporous metallic implantable device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein step a, further comprises:

mechanically and/or electropolishing the substrate to provide a substantially uniform substrate topography.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein step b, further comprises welding a plurality of wires each having a diameter around an outer circumference of the target to provide an equivalent spacing between the target and the cooling jacket.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein step b, further comprises interposing a tubular ceramic insulating sleeve between an outer circumference of the cylindrical target and the cooling jacket.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the target temperature is uniformly hot.

14. The method according to claim 9, wherein the substrate temperature is maintained within the range of 300 and 700 degrees Centigrade.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein the negative bias voltage is between 0-1000 volts to the substrate.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the gas pressure is maintained between 0.1 and 40 mTorr.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein step e, further comprises depositing the metal in an Argon atmosphere.

18. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of forming the plurality of microperforations is selected from the steps of chemical etching and ablation, such as ablation by excimer laser or by electric discharge machining.

19. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of removing the deposited film further comprises exposing the substrate and the deposited film to a nitric acid bath for a period of time sufficient to remove the substrate.