Flexible medical article and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11697001-B2
Application number	US-202017008179-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2020
Priority date	Mar 14, 2012
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

A method of making a flexible medical article or tube, for example, a sheath for a vascular access device, is provided. The method can include extruding a polymer, for example, a polycarbonate-urethane copolymer, to form a tube and annealing the extruded polymer. The method can further include cutting the extruded tube to a desired length before or after annealing, flaring one end of the annealed tube and over-molding the flared portion onto a hub, and forming the other end of the tube into a tip. A sheath formed by such a method is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member;
a needle disposed parallel to the dilator; and
a hub over-molded to a first end of the tubular member of the medical article.

2. The medical article of claim 1 , wherein the dilator comprises an axis disposed parallel to an axis of the flexible tubular member.

3. The medical article of claim 1 , wherein the needle comprises an axis disposed parallel to an axis of the flexible tubular member.

4. The medical article of claim 1 , further comprising a hub coupled to a first end the tubular member of the medical article.

5. A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member; and
a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
wherein a first end of the tubular member of the medical article is flared.

6. A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member; and
a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
wherein a second end of the tubular member of the medical article forms a tip.

7. A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member; and
a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
wherein the tubular member is annealed so as to be capable of bending at an angle up to about 120° without kinking.

8. A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member; and
a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
wherein the tubular member is configured to withstand pressures up to 300 psi.

9. A medical article comprising a flexible tubular member being formed by a process comprising forming the tubular member by extruding a polycarbonate urethane copolymer and annealing the extruded tubular member to increase flexibility of the tubular member, the medical article comprising:
a dilator disposed parallel to the flexible tubular member; and
a needle disposed parallel to the dilator,
wherein the tubular member is configured to withstand flow rates of up to 130 ml/min.

Assignees

• Smiths Medical Asd Inc

Inventors

• Bierman Steven F

Classifications

• B29C48/11

  comprising two or more partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. honeycomb-shaped · CPC title

• B29L2031/7542

  Catheters · CPC title

• B29C48/022

  characterised by the choice of material · CPC title

• B29C48/13

  Articles with a cross-section varying in the longitudinal direction, e.g. corrugated pipes · CPC title

• B29D23/001

  Pipes; Pipe joints (pleated hoses B29D23/18) · CPC title