Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A process for forming a blood vessel prosthesis comprising: A. forming a generally tubular non-porous inner layer of a covalently cross-linked reaction product of collagen and an amino polyssccharide wherein the inner layer is at least 0.1 to 5 mm thick and has a relatively smooth inner surface with a number average molecular weight between cross-links of between 5,000 and 10,000 and an average pore diameter of less than 10 microns; and B. thereafter forming an outer layer of a collagen-aminopolysaccharide polymer wherein the outer layer has a thickness of at least 1.0 mm and is crosslinked to produce a porous bioreplaceable outer surface with a number average molecular weight between cross-links of between 10,000 and 20,000 and mean pore diameter of 50 microns or greater.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
126 words
A process for forming a blood vessel prosthesis comprising: A. forming a generally tubular non-porous inner layer of a covalently cross-linked reaction product of collagen and an amino polyssccharide wherein the inner layer is at least 0.1 to 5 mm thick and has a relatively smooth inner surface with a number average molecular weight between cross-links of between 5,000 and 10,000 and an average pore diameter of less than 10 microns; and B. thereafter forming an outer layer of a collagen-aminopolysaccharide polymer wherein the outer layer has a thickness of at least 1.0 mm and is crosslinked to produce a porous bioreplaceable outer surface with a number average molecular weight between cross-links of between 10,000 and 20,000 and mean pore diameter of 50 microns or greater.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
196 words
A process for making a bioreplaceable multilayer blood vessel prosthesis comprising: forming at least one non-porous inner conduit comprising the steps of: (i) combining collagen and an aminopolysaccharide to yield a reaction product; (ii) molding said reaction product into at least one formed generally tube-shaped structure comprising a cyclindrical wall and a lumen; then (iii) crosslinking said reaction product of said formed cylindrical wall to yield a bioreplaceable, substantially non-porous, composite material ranging in thickness from 0.1-5.0 millimeters, said composite material having a mean porosity of less than 10 microns, having a number average molecular weight of between 2,000 and 12,000 daltons, and providing a generally smooth lumen surface; and coating said inner conduit with at least a 1.0 millimeter thick bioreplaceable, porous outer layer, said coating comprising the steps of: (i) applying a dispersion comprising a collagen-aminopolysaccharide polymer to the exterior of said inner conduit as an outer layer; (ii) freeze drying said outer layer; then (iii) crosslinking said polymeric dispersion comprising said freeze dried outer layer to yield a bioreplaceable, porous mass having a mean porosity of not less than 50 microns and a number average molecular weight of between 2,000 and 60,000 daltons.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
196 words
A process for making a bioreplaceable multilayer blood vessel prosthesis comprising: forming at least one non-porous inner conduit comprising the steps of: (i) combining collagen and an aminopolysaccharide to yield a reaction product; (ii) molding said reaction product into at least one formed generally tube-shaped structure comprising a cyclindrical wall and a lumen; then (iii) crosslinking said reaction product of said formed cylindrical wall to yield a bioreplaceable, substantially non-porous, composite material ranging in thickness from 0.1-5.0 millimeters, said composite material having a mean porosity of less than 10 microns, having a number average molecular weight of between 2,000 and 12,000 daltons, and providing a generally smooth lumen surface; and coating said inner conduit with at least a 1.0 millimeter thick bioreplaceable, porous outer layer, said coating comprising the steps of: (i) applying a dispersion comprising a collagen-aminopolysaccharide polymer to the exterior of said inner conduit as an outer layer; (ii) freeze drying said outer layer; then (iii) crosslinking said polymeric dispersion comprising said freeze dried outer layer to yield a bioreplaceable, porous mass having a mean porosity of not less than 50 microns and a number average molecular weight of between 2,000 and 60,000 daltons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 wherein said molding includes cross flow filtration molding.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 including the step of seeding the inner conduit by inoculation with a suspension of cells.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 including the step of seeding the outer conduit by inoculation with a suspension of cells.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein in step A the inner layer has been covalently crosslinked to an average molecular weight between cross-links of between 5,000 to 10,000 to yield an inner layer with average pore diameter of less than 10 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein step A the aminopolysaccharide is selected from a member of the group consisting of chondroitin-4-sulfate, chondroitin-6-sulfate heparin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate, heparin, hyaluronic acid and chitosan.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein the outer layer has been crosslinked to an average molecular weight between cross-links of between 10,000 to 20,000.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein a woven or knitted fabric is incorporated into the outer layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein the inner conduit has been covalently crosslinked to an average molecular weight between cross-links of between 5,000 to 10,000.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein in step A the aminopolysaccharide is selected from a member of the group consisting of chondroitin-4-sulfate, chondroitin-6-sulfate, heparin sulfate, dermatan sulfate, keratan sulfate, heparin, hyaluronic acid and chitosan.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process as set forth in claim 10 wherein in step B the outer layer has been crosslinked to an average molecular weight between cross-links of between 10,000 to 20,000.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 or 3 wherein a woven or knitted fabric is incorporated into the outer layer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process as set forth in claim 2 wherein the molding and cross-linking steps are repeated to produce an inner conduit with a thickness of at least 1.0 mm.