US4169477A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Anastomatic couplings
Assignee: Carbomedics Inc
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Filing: 1977-07-07
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Granted: 1979-10-02
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Expires: 1997-07-07
Abstract
Abstract A tubular vascular graft is attached to a rigid tubular portion of an implantable prosthetic device by assembling the vascular graft plus a surrounding heat-shrinkable polymeric sleeve on the rigid tubular portion. The polymeric sleeve, which may be TEFLON-FEP, extends a short distance past the free end of the tube and upon heating shrinks into firm compressive contact with the vascular graft and provides a smooth transition in stiffness between the end of the rigid tube and the soft, flexible graft.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack C. Bokros
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 21:01
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L27/00; A61L27/02; A61L27/08; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/11; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/04; A61F2/06; A61F2/064; A61L31/00; A61L31/08; A61L31/10; A61F2310/00; A61F2310/00005; A61F2310/00161; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S285/00; Y10S285/909; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49863; Y10T29/49865
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of attaching a vascular graft to an implantable prosthetic device including a rigid tubular portion, which method comprises providing a tubular vascular graft having an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the rigid tubular portion, providing a heat-shrinkable polymeric sleeve having an inner diameter at least equal to the outer diameter of the vascular graft and having an end portion which tapers to a substantially smaller wall thickness, assembling the vascular graft on the rigid tubular portion with said polymeric sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the portion of the graft in contact with the tubular portion and said tapering end portion extending for a distance past the free end of said tubular portion and heating said assembly to shrink the sleeve into firm compressive contact with the vascular graft so that the portion of the graft just adjacent the end of the tubular portion is compressed and firmly supported by said shrunken sleeve whereby there is a smooth transition in stiffness that eliminates formation of a culdesac.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
173 words
A method of attaching a vascular graft to an implantable prosthetic device including a rigid tubular portion, which method comprises providing a tubular vascular graft having an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the rigid tubular portion, providing a heat-shrinkable polymeric sleeve having an inner diameter at least equal to the outer diameter of the vascular graft and having an end portion which tapers to a substantially smaller wall thickness, assembling the vascular graft on the rigid tubular portion with said polymeric sleeve disposed in surrounding relation to the portion of the graft in contact with the tubular portion and said tapering end portion extending for a distance past the free end of said tubular portion and heating said assembly to shrink the sleeve into firm compressive contact with the vascular graft so that the portion of the graft just adjacent the end of the tubular portion is compressed and firmly supported by said shrunken sleeve whereby there is a smooth transition in stiffness that eliminates formation of a culdesac.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sleeve tapered end extends past the free end a distance at least equal to about 10 percent the outer diameter of the tubular portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said heat-shrinkable sleeve is made of a flurocarbon polymer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said heat-shrinkable sleeve is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said heat-shrinking is effected by raising the temperature of the sleeve to between about 250° F. and 350° F.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
193 words
An anastomatic coupling for joining a vascular graft to an implantable prosthetic device having a rigid tubular portion, which coupling comprises a tubular vascular graft disposed upon a rigid tubular portion of the prosthetic device and extending well past the free end thereof for suturing to a blood vessel, said tubular graft having an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the tubular portion, and a heat-shrunk polymeric sleeve, having an unexpanded inner diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of said vascular graft and having an end portion which tapers to a substantially smaller wall thickness, disposed in surrounding compressive relation to the portion of said graft in contact with the tubular portion and with said tapered end portion extending for a substantial distance past the free end thereof, said shrunken sleeve holding said vascular graft in firm contact with the tubular portion and the extended part of said shrunken sleeve compressing said graft in the region adjacent the end of said tubular portion and thus providing a smooth internal transition adjacent the end edge of the tube and a smooth transition in stiffness that eliminates formation of a culdesac.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
193 words
An anastomatic coupling for joining a vascular graft to an implantable prosthetic device having a rigid tubular portion, which coupling comprises a tubular vascular graft disposed upon a rigid tubular portion of the prosthetic device and extending well past the free end thereof for suturing to a blood vessel, said tubular graft having an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the tubular portion, and a heat-shrunk polymeric sleeve, having an unexpanded inner diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of said vascular graft and having an end portion which tapers to a substantially smaller wall thickness, disposed in surrounding compressive relation to the portion of said graft in contact with the tubular portion and with said tapered end portion extending for a substantial distance past the free end thereof, said shrunken sleeve holding said vascular graft in firm contact with the tubular portion and the extended part of said shrunken sleeve compressing said graft in the region adjacent the end of said tubular portion and thus providing a smooth internal transition adjacent the end edge of the tube and a smooth transition in stiffness that eliminates formation of a culdesac.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A coupling in accordance with claim 6 wherein said heat-shrinkable sleeve is a flurocarbon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A coupling in accordance with claim 6 wherein said sleeve tapered end extends past said free end of said tubular portion a distance at least equal to about 10 percent of the outer diameter of said tubular portion.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A coupling in accordance with claim 8 wherein said heat-shrunk sleeve is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene and tapers to a lesser wall thickness which is not greater than about one-half of the nominal wall thickness of said sleeve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A coupling in accordance with claim 6 wherein said tubular portion comprises biocompatible carbon and has an interior surface that is formed with an outward taper.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-10-01 | 1983-04-02 | 1983-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-10-01 | 1987-04-02 | 1987-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-10-01 | 1991-04-02 | 1991-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |