Soft-tissue tubular prostheses with seamed transitions

• US 20020058991A1
• Filed: 11/15/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATEN Technology Incorporated (ATEN International Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: McMurray Fabrics, Inc.
• Inventors: Schmitt, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,994,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/04 Hollow or tubular parts of organs, e.g. bladders, tracheae, bronchi or bile ducts A61F2/18, A61F2/20 take precedence; devices, other than stent-grafts, providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body other than stent-grafts, e.g. stents A61F2/82; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/065 Y-shaped blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/067 modular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24785 including layer embodying mechanically interengaged strands, strand portions or strand-like strips [e.g., weave, knit, etc.]

Abstract

Single tubular woven or bifurcated prostheses are disclosed having varying diameters and tapered transitions. The prostheses comprise a seam along the tapered edges, thereby providing a substantially fluid-tight transition between sections or extents of the prostheses. The seam may be located at an edge where fabric of the prosthesis tapers from one diameter to a different diameter and/or at a point where the prosthesis splits such as a bifurcation. The seamed crotch may be used for tapered and non-tapered bifurcated grafts. The seam may be woven directly on a weaving loom or joined together after weaving is completed.

Claims

1. A woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

a plurality of warp yarns and fill yarns;

a first tubular extent having a first diameter;

a second tubular extent having a second diameter different from the first diameter, the first and second tubular extents spaced apart to define a transition tubular extent therebetween;

a tapered edge along the transition tubular extent formed by a weaving pattern having a graduated change in the number of warp yarns; and

a seam along the tapered edge, wherein the seam provides a substantially fluid-tight transition between the first tubular extent and the second tubular extent.

2. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the plurality of warp yarns further comprises top layer warp yarns and bottom layer warp yarns, wherein the seam comprises the top layer warp yarns and the bottom layer warp yarns woven together along the tapered edge.

3. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the graduated change in the number of warp yarns comprises disengagement of a predetermined number of warp yarns from the weaving pattern.

4. The tubular prosthesis of claim 3, wherein the ratio of disengaged warp yarns to fill yarns causes the tapered edge to have an angle greater than 45 degrees.

5. The tubular prosthesis of claim 4, wherein the ratio of disengaged warp yarns to fill yarns causes the tapered edge to have approximately a 90 degree angle.

6. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the first tubular extent first diameter and the second tubular extent second diameter is each defined by a different number of warp yarns.

7. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises a frustoconical shape.

8. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises an “

S”

shape.

9. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises an inward taper.

10. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises an outward flare.

11. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the prosthesis is flat-woven.

12. The tubular prosthesis of claim 1, wherein the warp yarns and fill yarns comprise materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, and mixtures of any thereof.

15. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the seam comprises a seam forming means to close the open transition extent into a tube after weaving is completed.

16. The tubular prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the seam forming means comprises stitching sewn along the tapered edge.

17. The tubular prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the seam forming means comprises gluing.

18. The tubular prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the seam forming means comprises stapling.

19. The tubular prosthesis of claim 15, wherein the seam forming means comprises welding.

20. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the graduated change in the number of warp yarns comprises disengagement of predetermined warp yarns from the weaving pattern.

21. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the first tubular extent first diameter and the second tubular extent second diameter is each defined by a different number of warp yarns.

22. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises a frustoconical shape.

23. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises an “

S”

shape.

24. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14 wherein the transition tubular extent comprises an inward taper.

25. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the transition tubular extent comprises an outward flare.

26. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the prosthesis is flat-woven.

27. The tubular prosthesis of claim 14, wherein the warp yarns and fill yarns comprise materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, and mixtures thereof.

29. The tubular prosthesis of claim 28, wherein the seam comprises a seam forming means to close the open crotch after weaving is completed.

30. The tubular prosthesis of claim 29, wherein the seam forming means comprises stitching sewn along the crotch.

31. The tubular prosthesis of claim 29, wherein the seam forming means comprises gluing.

32. The tubular prosthesis of claim 29, wherein the seam forming means comprises stapling.

33. The tubular prosthesis of claim 29, wherein the seam forming means comprises welding.

34. The tubular prosthesis of claim 28, wherein the plurality of secondary tubular extents comprises a pair of secondary tubular extents defining a bifurcated structure.

35. The tubular prosthesis of claim 34, wherein each of the pair of secondary tubular extents has a different diameter.

36. The tubular prosthesis of claim 34, wherein each of the pair of secondary tubular extents has the same diameter.

37. The tubular prosthesis of claim 28, wherein the prosthesis is flat-woven.

38. The tubular prosthesis of claim 28, wherein the warp yarns and fill yarns comprise materials selected from the group consisting of polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, and mixtures thereof.

40. The method of claim 39, the warp yarns further comprising top layer warp yarns and bottom layer warp yarns, wherein creating the seam further comprises weaving the top layer warp yarns and the bottom layer warp yarns together along the tapered edge on a weaving loom.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the graduated change in the number of warp yarns comprises disengaging predetermined warp yarns from the weaving pattern.

13. A woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

a first tubular extent having a first predetermined number of warp yarns defining a constant first diameter along the first tubular extent;

a second transition tubular extent having a first end and a second end, the first end woven to the first tubular extent, the second transition tubular extent having at least a second predetermined number of warp yarns and having a graduated change in the number of warp yarns defining a second diameter different from the first diameter defining a weaving pattern incorporating a graduated transition along the second transition tubular extent;

a third tubular extent woven to the second end of the second transition tubular extent, the third tubular extent having a third predetermined number of warp yarns defining a constant third diameter along the third tubular extent that is different than the first diameter and the second diameter;

a tapered edge along the second transition tubular extent formed by the graduated transition weaving pattern; and

a seam along the tapered edge, wherein the seam provides a substantially fluid-tight transition between the first tubular extent and the third tubular extent.

14. A woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

a plurality of warp yarns and fill yarns;

a first tubular extent having a first diameter;

a second tubular extent having a second diameter different from the first diameter, the first and second tubular extents spaced apart to define an open transition extent therebetween;

an unwoven tapered edge along the open transition extent formed by a weaving pattern having a graduated change in the number of warp yarns; and

a seam along the tapered edge, wherein the seam provides a substantially fluid-tight transition between the first tubular extent and the second tubular extent.

28. A woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

a plurality of warp yarns and fill yarns;

a first tubular extent having a first diameter;

a plurality of secondary tubular extents, each woven at a transition with the first tubular extent;

an open crotch formed at the transition between the first tubular extent and the plurality of secondary tubular extents by a weaving pattern that disengages a predetermined number of warp yarns along the transition; and

a seam along the crotch, wherein the seam provides the transition between the first tubular extent and the plurality of secondary tubular extents with a substantially fluid-tight closure.

39. A method of making a woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

weaving a first tubular extent having a first diameter using a first predetermined number of warp yarns;

weaving continuously from the first tubular extent a transition tubular extent formed by a weaving pattern having a graduated change in the first predetermined number of warp yarns to produce a tapered edge along the transition tubular extent;

weaving a second tubular extent continuously from the transition tubular extent using a second predetermined number of warp yarns; and

creating a seam along the tapered edge, wherein the seam provides a substantially fluid-tight transition between the first tubular extent and the second tubular extent.

42. A method of making a woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

weaving a first tubular extent having a first diameter using a first predetermined number of warp yarns;

weaving continuously from the first tubular extent an open transition extent formed by a weaving pattern having a graduated change in the first predetermined number of warp yarns to produce an unwoven tapered edge along the open transition extent;

weaving a second tubular extent continuously from the open transition extent using a second predetermined number of warp yarns; and

creating a seam along the tapered edge,

wherein the seam provides a substantially fluid-tight transition between the first tubular extent and the second tubular extent.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein creating the seam further comprises using a seam forming means to close the open transition extent into a tube after weaving is completed.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the seam forming means comprises sewing a seam along the tapered edge.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the graduated change in the number of warp yarns comprises disengaging predetermined warp yarns from the weaving pattern.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein creating the seam further comprises using a seam forming means to close the open crotch after weaving is completed.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the seam forming means comprises sewing a seam to close the open crotch.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the plurality of secondary tubular extents comprises a pair of secondary tubular extents defining a bifurcated structure.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein each of the pair of secondary tubular extents has a different diameter.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein each of the pair of secondary tubular extents has the same diameter.

46. A method of making a woven implantable tubular prosthesis, comprising:

weaving a first tubular extent having a first diameter using a first predetermined number of warp yarns;

weaving continuously from the first tubular extent an open transition formed by a weaving pattern that disengages a second predetermined number of warp yarns along the transition to produce an open crotch;

weaving a plurality of secondary tubular extents, each woven at a transition with the first tubular extent; and

creating a seam along the crotch,

wherein the seam provides the transition between the first tubular extent and the plurality of secondary tubular extents with a substantially fluid-tight closure.