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Vascular prosthesis

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1994-11-29
•
Granted: 1997-07-08
•
Expires: 2014-11-29
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Abstract

Abstract The invention concerns a vascular prosthesis for the replacement of blood vessels in the human or animal body, consisting of a section of a replacement blood vessel (3) which has been taken from a human or animal body and a fibro-elastic tube (2) which is drawn over this vascular section, whose intersecting threads (1) which form the tube wind in spiral form around the longitudinal axis of the tube, wherein the fibro-elastic tube (2) is extended pointwise in the longitudinal direction with alteration of the diameter or is compressed and thereby is caused to contact the replacement vessel evenly over its total area.

Inventors

  • 👤 Heinz Robert Zurbrugg

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 06:36
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim 140 words
A vascular prosthesis for replacing a human or animal blood vessel, comprising: a section of replacement vessel taken from a human or animal body, said replacement vessel having an external diameter that varies along the length of the vessel; and a fibro-elastic tube drawn over said vessel-section, said tube being formed of intersecting threads wound in spiral form around a longitudinal axis of the tube, said tube having a diameter than is adjustable at substantially each point along the longitudinal axis of said tube, said adjustment in diameter being accomplished by a selected one of longitudinal extension or longitudinal compression of said tube at points at which said adjustment is made, said tube diameter having been adjusted so as to vary along the length of the tube to adapt the tube diameter to the varying external diameter of said vessel-section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 140 words
A vascular prosthesis for replacing a human or animal blood vessel, comprising: a section of replacement vessel taken from a human or animal body, said replacement vessel having an external diameter that varies along the length of the vessel; and a fibro-elastic tube drawn over said vessel-section, said tube being formed of intersecting threads wound in spiral form around a longitudinal axis of the tube, said tube having a diameter than is adjustable at substantially each point along the longitudinal axis of said tube, said adjustment in diameter being accomplished by a selected one of longitudinal extension or longitudinal compression of said tube at points at which said adjustment is made, said tube diameter having been adjusted so as to vary along the length of the tube to adapt the tube diameter to the varying external diameter of said vessel-section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 64 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the tube diameter is capable of being reduced by a factor of ten relative to the diameter exhibited by the tube when the tube is in a relaxed state and the tube diameter is capable of being enlarged by a factor of five relative to the diameter exhibited by the tube in its said relaxed state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the threads forming the tube are braided together.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 22 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the intersecting threads which form the tube are displaceable with respect to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein said tube is bonded by an adhesive to the vessel-section in such a manner that the adhesive allows threads forming said tube to be displaceable with respect to each other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 5, wherein the adhesive is elastic when in a cured state.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 20 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the tube is secured to the vessel-section by at least one seam.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 28 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the threads forming said tube are composed of a material selected from the group consisting of metal and metal alloy.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 15 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 8, wherein the threads are composed of stainless steel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 8, wherein the threads are coated with a biocompatible material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the threads forming said tube are composed of a biocompatible plastic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the threads forming said tube have a thickness in the range of 0.010 to 0.200 mm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 12, wherein the threads have a thickness in the range of 0.025 to 0.050 mm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 29 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the threads forming said tube intersect at an angle of 70° to 170° relative to the longitudinal direction of said tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 37 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein said tube is defined by said intersecting threads as a mesh having mesh sectors each of which has an area in the range of 20 to 850,000 square micrometers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 24 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 15, wherein each said mesh sector has an area in the range of 100 to 200,000 square micrometers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 53 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein the threads forming said tube meet at intersection points of said threads, said intersection points of said threads having a diameter that is reduced by up to 50% as compared to a diameter of said threads at a point that is not an intersection point.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 41 words
A vascular prosthesis as in claim 1, wherein said tube exhibits a resetting force of no more than 30 pounds (0.3 Newton) when longitudinally extended or longitudinally compressed by a factor of two relative to a relaxed state of said tube.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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EP0055250A1 Cited
US4441215A Cited
US4475972A Cited
FR2556210A1 Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-07-07 2001-01-06 2001-07-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-07-07 2005-01-06 2005-07-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-07-07 2009-01-06 2009-07-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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