Knit PTFE Articles and Mesh

• US 20090187197A1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Original Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates (W.L. Gore & Associates)
• Inventors: Narayan, Anand, Bailey, Eileen M., Roeber, Peter J., Mann, James W.
• Application Number:
  US12/184,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187197A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/0063 Implantable repair or support meshes, e.g. hernia meshes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/048 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds A61L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/08 Hernia repair mesh

Abstract

Disclosed is a knitted article, and a method of producing such an article, having at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of the cross-over points.

Claims

1. A knitted article comprising:

a knitted structure having at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points.

2. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein the fibrils are oriented non-parallel to each other.

3. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein said knitted article is a hernia repair mesh.

4. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein said knitted article is a soft tissue repair mesh.

5. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein said knitted article is a soft tissue reinforcement mesh.

6. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein said knitted article is for repair of anatomical defects.

7. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein said knitted article is for correction of defects in the genitourinary system.

8. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein said knitted article is for repair of organs.

9. The knitted article of claim 6 wherein said anatomical defect is abdominal wall.

10. The knitted article of claim 1 further comprising at least one functional layer.

16. A knitted article of claim 1 wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points by heat treatment of said knitted article under tension.

19. The knitted article of claim 1 wherein the knitted structure is solely PTFE.

20. The knitted article of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional non-knitted layer.

21. The knitted article of claim 1 further comprising at least one coating covering at least one portion of said knitted structure.

22. The article of claim 21 wherein the coating is a bioactive agent.

23. The article of claim 21 wherein the coating is an antimicrobial agent.

24. The article of claim 21 wherein the coating is an antibiotic.

11. A knitted article comprising:

a knitted structure having at least one monofilament PTFE fiber, said PTFE fiber forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points.

12. A knitted mesh comprising:

at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber being knitted into a mesh forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points, and wherein said mesh has a mass of between 50 and 70 g/m² and stiffness of greater than 25 g as determined by INDA Standard test Method 90.3.

13. A knitted mesh comprising:

at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber is knitted into a mesh forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points, and wherein said mesh has a mass of between 70 and 90 g/m² and stiffness of greater than 35 g as determined by INDA Standard test Method 90.3.

14. A knitted mesh comprising:

at least one PTFE fiber having oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber is knitted into a mesh forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points, and wherein said mesh has a mass of between 90 and 165 g/m² and stiffness of greater than 50 g as determined by INDA Standard test Method 90.3.

15. A knitted article comprising:

a knitted structure having at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is cross-fibril locked in at least one of said cross-over points.

17. A knitted article of claim 15 wherein said heat treatment is in the range of 350-375°

C.

18. A mesh comprising:

at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber being knitted into a mesh forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points, and wherein said mesh has a mass of greater than 70 g/m² and stiffness of greater than 25 g as determined by INDA Standard test Method 90.3.

25. A knitted article comprising a knitted structure having at least one PTFE fiber with oriented fibrils, said PTFE fiber forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said PTFE fiber is self-bonded in at least one of said cross-over points and wherein the knitted article has a porous structure with an initial stiffness and a second stiffness which is less than the initial stiffness when the porous structure is subjected to Abdominal Mesh Tension.

26. The knitted article of claim 25 wherein the second stiffness is at least 20% less than the initial stiffness.

27. The knitted article of claim 25 wherein the second stiffness is at least 30% less than the initial stiffness.

28. The knitted article of claim 25 wherein the second stiffness is at least 40% less than the initial stiffness.

29. The knitted article of claim 25 wherein the second stiffness is at least 50% less than the initial stiffness.

30. The knitted article of claim 25 wherein the second stiffness is at least 60% less than the initial stiffness.

31. The knitted article of claim 25 wherein the Abdominal Mesh Tension is less than 16 N/cm.

32. A surgical mesh comprising a knitted structure having at least one fiber forming multiple fiber cross-over points wherein said at least one fiber has a bond in at least one of said cross-over points and wherein said bond is broken when the knitted structure is subjected to a surface tension equal to or less than Intraabdominal Pressure.

33. A surgical mesh of claim 32 wherein the bond is a self-bond formed without adhesive.