Porous ventricular catheter

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein said fiber-forming biocompatible polymeric material is a viscous solution of polyurethane fiber-forming material and solvent that produces fiber-to-fiber bonding between overlying fibers during said winding procedure by removal of said solvent therefrom.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein said fiber-forming biocompatible polymeric material is a viscous solution of polymeric fiber-forming material and solvent that produces fiber-to-fiber bonding between overlying fibers during said winding procedure by removal of said solvent therefrom.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, wherein said extruding and winding procedure includes applying an electrostatic charge between said extrusion orifice and said mandrel, said electrostatic charge accelerating said elongated fiber onto said mandrel.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein said winding procedure includes providing fiber-to-fiber bonding between overlying fibers.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, wherein said bonding step includes reformation of said open end of said porous portion and said open end of said non-porous portion by applying heat, a solvent or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1, wherein said closing and sealing step includes reformation of said remaining opened end of said porous portion by applying heat, a solvent or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1, wherein said outer diameter of said non-porous portion is substantially equal to said outer diameter of said porous portion.

Claim 10

A ventricular catheter made by a process, comprising: providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter; providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to blockage thereof after the tubing assembly is implanted, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel; bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion; and closing and sealing the remaining opened end of said porous portion.

Claim 11

A ventricular catheter made by a process, comprising: providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter; providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to blockage thereof after the tubing assembly is implanted, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel; bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion; and closing and sealing the remaining opened end of said porous portion.

Claim 12

The tubing assembly according to claim 9, wherein said polymeric material of the porous portion is polyurethane.

Claim 13

The tubing assembly according to claim 9, wherein said porous portion defines the distal approximate one-third portion of said tubing assembly.

Claim 14

The tubing assembly according to claim 9, wherein said porous portion and said non-porous portion are bonded together by reformation of the associated ends of said porous and non-porous portions by applying heat, a solvent, or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 15

The tubing assembly according to claim 9, wherein said closing and sealing step includes reformation of said remaining open end of said porous portion by applying heat, a solvent, or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 16

The tubing assembly of claim 9, wherein said porous portion has a high surface density of very fine pores, said pores allowing cerebrospinal fluid to pass therethrough while resisting blockage under in vivo conditions.

Claim 17

The tubing assembly of claim 9, wherein said extruding and winding procedure includes applying an electrostatic charge between said extrusion orifice and said mandrel, said electrostatic charge accelerating the elongated fiber onto the mandrel.

Claim 18

An implantable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system including a hydrocephalus pressure relief valve, draining means and a ventricular catheter, wherein the improvement comprises said ventricular catheter being made by a process including: providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter; providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous. portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to in vivo blockage, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel; bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion; and closing and sealing the remaining open end of said porous portion.

Claim 19

An implantable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system including a hydrocephalus pressure relief valve, draining means and a ventricular catheter, wherein the improvement comprises said ventricular catheter being made by a process including: providing a non-porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter; providing a porous portion of polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous. portion providing step including extruding a fiber forming biocompatible polymeric material through an orifice to form an elongated fiber, winding said fiber on a mandrel such that the continuous fiber forms a plurality of windings, said windings defining a non-woven cylinder having overlying fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface that is resistant to in vivo blockage, and removing said non-woven cylinder from said mandrel; bonding an open end of said non-porous portion to an open end of said porous portion; and closing and sealing the remaining open end of said porous portion.

Claim 20

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said porous portion of polymeric tubing and said non-porous portion of polymeric tubing are made from polyurethane.

Claim 21

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said porous portion defines the distal approximate one-third portion of said ventricular catheter.

Claim 22

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said porous portion has a high surface density of very fine pores, said pores allowing cerebrospinal fluid to pass therethrough while resisting pore blockage under in vivo conditions.

Claim 23

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said porous portion and said non-porous portion are bonded together by reformation of the associated ends thereof by heat, a solvent, or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 24

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said closing and sealing steps include reformation of said remaining open end of said porous portion by heat, a solvent, or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 25

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said outer diameter of said non-porous portion is substantially equal to said outer diameter of said porous portion.

Claim 26

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said porous portion allows the passage of cerebrospinal fluid therethrough while simultaneously being resistant to blockage when implanted in a patient.

Claim 27

The implantable system according to claim 16, wherein said extruding and winding procedure includes applying an electrostatic charge between said extrusion orifice and said mandrel, said electrostatic charge accelerating the elongated fiber onto the mandrel.

Claim 28

An implantable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system including cerebrospinal fluid draining means, and a ventricular catheter, said ventricular catheter comprising: a non-porous portion of biocompatible polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter; a porous portion of biocompatible polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion consisting of a non-woven cylinder of overlying polymeric fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface, said non-woven cylinder porous portion being bonded to said non-porous tubing portion; and one of the ends of said porous portion is closed and sealed

Claim 29

An implantable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief system including cerebrospinal fluid draining means, and a ventricular catheter, said ventricular catheter comprising: a non-porous portion of biocompatible polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter; a porous portion of biocompatible polymeric tubing having a selected outer diameter, said porous portion consisting of a non-woven cylinder of overlying polymeric fibers that contact one another to form a porous outer surface, said non-woven cylinder porous portion being bonded to said non-porous tubing portion; and one of the ends of said porous portion is closed and sealed

Claim 30

The tubing assembly of claim 25, wherein said porous portions and said non-porous portions are bonded together by reformation of the associated open ends thereof by heat, a solvent, or a combination of heat and a solvent.

Claim 31

The tubing assembly of claim 25, wherein said outer surface of said porous portion includes a high density of very fine pores which allow fluid to pass therethrough while simultaneously being resistant to blockage under in vivo conditions.

Claim 32

The tubing assembly of claim 25, wherein said porous portion is made from a polyurethane.

Claim 33

The tubing assembly of claim 25, wherein said cerebrospinal fluid draining means includes a hydrocephalus pressure relief valve.