Implantable fluid conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11083830-B2
Application number	US-201916600799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2019
Priority date	Oct 14, 2019
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A fluid conduit includes a first portion having a first porosity, a second portion disposed immediately adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having a second porosity that is greater than the first porosity, and a third portion of the fluid conduit disposed immediately adjacent to the second portion, the third portion having a third porosity that is less than the second porosity. Each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion may be integrally formed as a single, continuous piece defining the fluid conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid conduit, comprising:
a first portion of the fluid conduit, the first portion having a first porosity;
a second portion disposed immediately adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having a second porosity that is greater than the first porosity; and
a third portion of the fluid conduit disposed immediately adjacent to the second portion, the third portion having a third porosity that is less than the second porosity,
wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are integrally formed as a single, continuous piece defining the fluid conduit, and
wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are formed using the same material such that they are continuous across the fluid conduit.

2. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit consists of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion.

3. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit is shaped and sized to be implantable within a patient.

4. The fluid conduit of claim 3 , wherein one or more of the first portion and the third portion is sized and shaped for anastomosis into a blood vessel of the patient.

5. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein the first portion has a first stiffness, the second portion has a second stiffness that is less than the first stiffness, and the third portion has a third stiffness that is greater than the second stiffness.

6. The fluid conduit of claim 5 , wherein the fluid conduit is shaped and sized to be implantable within a patient, and wherein one or more of the first stiffness and the third stiffness is suitable for anastomosis of one or more of the first portion and the third portion with a blood vessel of the patient.

7. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , further comprising a device for delivering a therapeutic substance to a patient.

8. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit is sized and shaped to permit one or more of ultrafiltration and dialysis.

9. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are formed using one or more of a single electrospinning process or a single extrusion process.

10. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit lacks interfaces between the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion.

11. The fluid conduit of claim 1 , wherein a material used to form the fluid conduit includes a therapeutic agent.

12. A method, comprising:
forming a first portion of a fluid conduit during an electrospinning process using a first set of parameters such that the first portion includes a first porosity, the electrospinning process including extruding a material from a spinneret, electrically charging the material, and receiving the electrically charged material on a collector;
forming a second portion immediately adjacent to the first portion during the electrospinning process using a second set of parameters such that the second portion defines a membrane having a second porosity that is greater than the first porosity; and
forming a third portion immediately adjacent to the second portion during the electrospinning process using a third set of parameters such that the third portion includes a third porosity that is less than the second porosity, wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion is integrally formed as a single, continuous piece defining the fluid conduit, and wherein the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are formed using the same material such that they are continuous across the fluid conduit.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting a spin rate of the collector to control one or more of the first porosity, the second porosity, and the third porosity.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting a speed with which the spinneret and the collector move relative to one another to control one or more of the first porosity, the second porosity, and the third porosity.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting a distance between the spinneret and the collector to control one or more of the first porosity, the second porosity, and the third porosity.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising adjusting an extrusion rate from the spinneret to control one or more of the first porosity, the second porosity, and the third porosity.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first portion includes a first stiffness, the membrane of the second portion includes a second stiffness that is less than the first stiffness, and the third portion includes a third stiffness that is greater than the second stiffness.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrospinning process uses a build material including polyethylene terephthalate.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the build material further includes a therapeutic agent.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first set of parameters and the third set of parameters are the same.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising coating the collector with a therapeutic agent prior to beginning the electrospinning process.

22. A system, comprising:
a housing;
a fluid conduit at least partially contained within the housing and structurally configured for connection with a vascular system of a patient, the fluid conduit comprising:
a first portion having a first porosity;
a second portion disposed immediately adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having a second porosity that is greater than the first porosity, wherein the second porosity is configured to permit a predetermined filtrate transport through the second portion and into the housing; and
a third portion disposed immediately adjacent to the second portion, the third portion having a third porosity that is less than the second porosity, wherein each of the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are integrally formed as a single, continuous piece defining the fluid conduit; and
a drain in fluid communication with the housing and configured for connection to a bladder of the patient.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the housing includes an implantable biocompatible cartridge, and wherein each of the first portion and the third portion of the fluid conduit is sized and shaped for anastomosis with a blood vessel of the patient.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the fluid conduit is in fluid communication with one or more of an artery and a vein of the patient.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the fluid conduit is connected to a femoral artery and the vein of the patient.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the first portion is connected to the femoral artery and the second portion is connected to the vein.

27. The system of claim 23 , wherein the drain includes a catheter connecting the housing to the bladder of the patient.

Assignees

• Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Mullon Claudy J

Classifications

• B01D63/061

  Manufacturing thereof · CPC title

• A61L31/146

  Porous materials, e.g. foams or sponges · CPC title

• A61M1/3673

  Anticoagulant coating, e.g. Heparin coating · CPC title

• B29C64/118

  using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM] · CPC title

• A61M2205/3337

  Controlling, regulating pressure or flow by means of a valve by-passing a pump · CPC title