Claims
- 1. A material, useable in making inflatable medical devices, comprising:
at least one substantially circumferential fiber constructed and arranged to form a substantially cylindrical shape; a fluid tight membrane, operably attached to said at least one substantially circumferential fiber, such that a lumen having at least one open end is defined by said membrane, said open end useable to introduce fluid into said lumen;
whereby said at least one circumferential fibers are constructed and arranged such that when said material is subjected to pressure, said material exhibits compliance until a predetermined first pressure is achieved, non-compliance during a predetermined range of said pressure, above said first pressure and ending at a second pressure, and return to compliant expansion after said second pressure had been exceeded.
- 2. The material of claim 1 wherein said at least one substantially circumferential fiber comprises a fiber arranged to form a spiral having a predetermined pitch.
- 3. The material of claim 1 wherein said at least one circumferential fiber comprises a plurality of circumferential fibers having at least two predetermined lengths, thereby forming a first set of fibers having a first length and at least one other set of fibers having a length longer than the first set, said fibers constructed and arranged circumferentially such that, during inflation, said material exhibits compliance until said predetermined first pressure is achieved, said first pressure coinciding with said first set of fibers becoming taut, said fibers thus preventing further compliant expansion as pressure continues to increase until said second pressure is achieved, said first set of fibers breaking when said second pressure is exceeded, thereby allowing said material to return to compliant expansion until said other set of fibers become taut.
- 4. The material of claim 1 wherein said at least one circumferential fiber comprises a plurality of circumferential fibers having at least two predetermined yield points, thereby forming a first set of fibers having a first yield point and at least one other set of fibers having a yield point greater than that of the first set, said fibers constructed and arranged circumferentially such that, during inflation, said material exhibits compliance until said predetermined first pressure is achieved, said first pressure coinciding with said first set of fibers reaching the first yield point, said fibers thus preventing further compliant expansion as pressure continues to increase until said second pressure is achieved, said first set of fibers breaking when said second pressure is exceeded, thereby allowing said material to return to compliant expansion until said other set of fibers their yield point.
- 5. The material of claim 1 wherein said membrane is radiopaque.
- 6. The material of claim 1 wherein at least one of said fibers is radiopaque.
- 7. The material of claim 1 wherein said membrane comprises a polymer placed within interstices of said at least circumferential fiber.
- 8. The material of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of longitudinal fibers operably attached to said membrane.
- 9. The material of claim 8 wherein said plurality of longitudinal fibers comprise a plurality of hollow, selectively inflatable longitudinal fibers constructed and arranged to lengthen when inflated such that they are useable to create controllable bends in said material, thereby making the material steerable.
- 10. The material of claim 9 wherein said plurality of longitudinal fibers are biased toward being straight when deflated, such that a predetermined retroflex force occurs upon deflating said fibers.
- 11. The material of claim 1 wherein said at least one circumferential fiber has a circular cross section.
- 12. The material of claim 1 wherein said at least one circumferential fiber has a substantially flat cross section.
- 13. The material of claim 1 wherein said at least one circumferential fiber has an oval cross section.
- 14. A steerable medical device comprising:
a plurality of hollow, selectively inflatable longitudinal fibers constructed and arranged to lengthen when inflated; a fluid tight membrane, operably attached to said longitudinal fibers such that a lumen having at least one open end is defined by said membrane, said open end useable to introduce fluid into said lumen;
whereby said selectively inflatable fibers are useable to create controllable bends in said device such that said device is steerable.
- 15. The device of claim 14 further comprising at least one substantially circumferential fiber constructed and arranged to form a substantially cylindrical shape with the longitudinal fibers.
- 16. The device of claim 15 wherein said circumferential fiber spirals around the circumference of the device at a pitch preselected to provide a desired degree of flexibility.
- 17. The device of claim 14 further comprising a basket extending longitudinally from a distal end of said device, constructed and arranged to penetrate targeted tissue, such as arterial plaque, when said device expands longitudinally, and further constructed and arranged to capture dislodged particles of the targeted tissue so that the tissue is removed with the device.
- 18. The device of claim 14 wherein at least one fiber is radiopaque.
- 19. A catheter of a predetermined length, and having a distal end and a proximal end, comprising:
a plurality of longitudinal fibers; at least one substantially circumferential fiber interwoven with said longitudinal fibers to form a substantially cylindrical mesh, the mesh having a weave density proportional to the number of circumferential fibers and the number of longitudinal fibers per unit area; a fluid tight membrane of a predetermined thickness, operably attached to said longitudinal fibers and said at least one substantially circumferential fiber, such that a lumen having at least one open end is defined by said membrane, said open end useable to introduce fluid into said lumen
whereby said at least one substantially circumferential fiber forms a spiral down the length of the catheter having a predetermined pitch.
- 20. The catheter of claim 19 further comprising segments of increased flexibility in relation to other segments of the catheter.
- 21. The catheter of claim 20 wherein said increased flexibility results from decreased weave density.
- 22. The catheter of claim 21 wherein said decreased weave density is characterized by an increased pitch in relation to the predetermined pitch of the at least one substantially circumferential fiber in other segments of the catheter.
- 23. The catheter of claim 20 wherein said segments of increased flexibility result from a decreased membrane thickness in relation to the predetermined thickness of the membrane in other segments of the catheter.
- 24. The catheter of claim 19 wherein further comprising a segment at the distal end having a decreased membrane thickness in relation to the predetermined thickness of the membrane in other segments of the catheter.
- 25. The catheter of claim 24 wherein said segment at the distal end is permeable, thereby allowing fluid introduced to exit the lumen through said membrane.
- 26. A device comprising:
a plurality of longitudinal fibers; a plurality of circumferential fibers interwoven with said longitudinal fibers; a membrane at least partially engulfing said longitudinal and circumferential fibers such that a lumen is created with at least a portion of said membrane being fluid tight;
whereby at least one of said fibers protrudes radially from said membrane to form an external mesh arrangement.
- 27. The device of claim 26 whereby the membrane comprises a closed distal end.
- 28. The device of claim 27 whereby the membrane is inflatable, thus forming a balloon.
- 29. The device of claim 26 whereby said external mesh arrangement comprises a filter radially surrounding and relatively concentric with said membrane.
- 30. The device of claim 26 whereby said external mesh arrangement extends distally from said membrane thereby forming a cage at a distal end of said device.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/238,957 filed Oct. 9, 2000, entitled A NOVEL METHOD OF CATHETER FABRICATION AND A NOVEL METHOD OF MEDICAL BALLOON FABRICATION.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60238957 |
Oct 2000 |
US |