Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Preparations characterized by special physical form – Wearing apparel – fabric – or cloth
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-23
2001-10-02
Dodson, Shelley A. (Department: 1616)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Preparations characterized by special physical form
Wearing apparel, fabric, or cloth
C424S400000, C424S402000, C427S002100, C623S001210, C623S017120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296863
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a fabric having antimicrobial properties and a medical graft, such as a vascular graft, made of such fabric.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of grafts are used in the human body for surgical replacement and repair. A graft is a tubular type member typically used to provide a passage for fluid flow between two parts of a vein or artery that has been severed or as a bypass for diseased or deteriorated tissue. For example, grafts are often used in vascular bypass applications, such as for an abdominal aortic aneurism. The graft can either be of natural material, taken from another part of the body of a human or an animal, or it can be of synthetic material. Where the graft is of synthetic material, it would be desirable for it to be able to inhibit the growth of bacteria in the fluid flowing in the graft or from other body parts that come into contact with the graft. Other medical products, such as pledgets and patches, would also desirably have the same properties.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a graft for medical use that is made of a fabric constraining an inorganic antimicrobial agent. The fabric has the inorganic antimicrobial agent bonded to it, the agent preferably being a zeolite. In the vascular graft application, the fabric fibers are preferably of Teflon or polyester. The fabric can be porous so as to permit tissue to grow on it with the fabric pores providing attachment sites for the tissue. Alternatively, a non-porous fabric is coated with a tissue biocompatible material, such as collagen, which also can be coated on a porous fabric.
The present invention also is directed to an antimicrobial fabric applicable for the graft, and for other medical uses, having a coating thereon to which is bonded an antimicrobial agent, such as a zeolite. When the fabric is porous, it remains pliable and flexible. This type of fabric, which is pliable, has use for other types of medical products such as pledgets and patches.
In a preferred method of manufacturing the porous fabric, the fabric is held under tension in one direction and a mixture of an adherent type coating material, such as a hydrophilic polymer or silicone, is applied which covers the fabric fibers and fills the spaces between the fibers. With the fabric held in tension in both directions, a dusting of the antimicrobial agent is applied onto the coating material while it is still wet. This bonds the agent to the coating material. The fabric is then cured with a pressurized gas, such as air, to dry it. The air under pressure removes all of the matter, coating material and antimicrobial agent, from between the fibers making it porous allowing it to be pliable. In another embodiment, the antimicrobial agent is mixed with the coating material, the mixture is applied to the fabric and the matter between the pores is removed by the pressurized air drying.
If the step of pressurized air drying is omitted, the fabric will dry with the coating material and antimicrobial agent present in the pores as well as with the antimicrobial agent bonded to the fabric fibers. Here, since the fabric does not have pores for tissue attachment sites it is preferred that the fabric be coated with a tissue growth promoting material, such as collagen.
The antimicrobial agent is on the surface of the fabric bonded to the coating material and is available to provide antimicrobial action relative to fluids and body parts that come into contact with it.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a medical graft of a fabric containing an inorganic antimicrobial agent.
Another object is to provide a medical graft of a fabric containing an inorganic antimicrobial agent that is coated with a tissue compatible material.
A further object is to provide a porous and pliable antimicrobial fabric useful for medical applications and a method of manufacturing the same.
Still another object is to provide a porous, pliable antimicrobial fabric useful for a medical graft.
Yet a further object is to provide a vascular graft utilizing a porous fabric having antimicrobial properties.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4525410 (1985-06-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 4525510 (1985-06-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 4775585 (1988-10-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 4906464 (1990-03-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 4911898 (1990-03-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 4911899 (1990-03-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 4923450 (1990-05-01), Maeda et al.
patent: 4938955 (1990-07-01), Niira et al.
patent: 4938958 (1990-07-01), Niira et al.
patent: 5003638 (1991-04-01), Miyake et al.
patent: 5009898 (1991-04-01), Sakuma et al.
patent: 5019096 (1991-05-01), Fox, Jr. et al.
patent: 5100671 (1992-03-01), Maeda et al.
patent: 5102401 (1992-04-01), Lambert et al.
patent: 5157005 (1992-10-01), Suppiah
patent: 5180585 (1993-01-01), Jacobson et al.
patent: 5207706 (1993-05-01), Menaker et al.
patent: 5244667 (1993-09-01), Hagiwara et al.
patent: 5296238 (1994-03-01), Sugiura et al.
patent: 5305827 (1994-04-01), Steele et al.
patent: 5405644 (1995-04-01), Ohsumi et al.
patent: 5441717 (1995-08-01), Ohsumi et al.
patent: 5474797 (1995-12-01), Sioshansi et al.
patent: 5492763 (1996-02-01), Barry et al.
patent: 5509899 (1996-04-01), Fan et al.
patent: 5520664 (1996-05-01), Bricault, Jr. et al.
patent: 5556699 (1996-09-01), Niira et al.
patent: 5562872 (1996-10-01), Watanabe
patent: 5607464 (1997-03-01), Trescony et al.
patent: 5697203 (1997-12-01), Niwa
patent: 5714430 (1998-02-01), Gehrer et al.
patent: 5714445 (1998-02-01), Trinh et al.
patent: 5723110 (1998-03-01), Yamamoto et al.
patent: 5753251 (1998-05-01), Burrell et al.
patent: 5770255 (1998-06-01), Burrell et al.
patent: 0 116 865 (1984-08-01), None
patent: 05154174 (1993-06-01), None
Barry John E.
Holley Steven
Trogolo Jeffrey A.
AgION Technologies, LLC
Dodson Shelley A.
Hultquist Steven J.
Welch II Edward K.
LandOfFree
Antimicrobial fabric and medical graft of the fabric does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Antimicrobial fabric and medical graft of the fabric, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Antimicrobial fabric and medical graft of the fabric will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2614395