Compacted catheter balloon and method of incremental compaction
A catheter balloon or other expandable tubular medical device or component, having at least a first layer with a first section and a second section longitudinally compacted by more than the first section. In a presently preferred embodiment, the second section of the first layer extends at least in part along a central portion of the length of the first layer. The longitudinal compaction of the material of the first layer preferably results in a balloon or other expandable tubular medical device or component having improved performance characteristics such as compliance and dimensional stability. One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of longitudinally compacting a porous polymeric tube incrementally along the length of the tube, to compact sections of the tube.
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This invention generally relates to catheters, and particularly intravascular catheters for use in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or for the delivery of stents.
In percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) procedures a guiding catheter is advanced in the patient's vasculature until the distal tip of the guiding catheter is seated in the ostium of a desired coronary artery. A guidewire is first advanced out of the distal end of the guiding catheter into the patient's coronary artery until the distal end of the guidewire crosses a lesion to be dilated. A dilatation catheter, having an inflatable balloon on the distal portion thereof, is advanced into the patient's coronary anatomy over the previously introduced guidewire until the balloon of the dilatation catheter is properly positioned across the lesion. Once properly positioned, the dilatation balloon is inflated with inflation fluid one or more times to a predetermined size at relatively high pressures so that the stenosis is compressed against the arterial wall and the wall expanded to open up the vascular passageway. Generally, the inflated diameter of the balloon is approximately the same diameter as the native diameter of the body lumen being dilated so as to complete the dilatation but not overexpand the artery wall. After the balloon is finally deflated, blood flow resumes through the dilated artery and the dilatation catheter and the guidewire can be removed therefrom.
In such angioplasty procedures, there may be restenosis of the artery, i.e. reformation of the arterial blockage, which necessitates either another angioplasty procedure, or some other method of repairing or strengthening the dilated area. To reduce the restenosis rate of angioplasty alone and to strengthen the dilated area, physicians now normally implant an intravascular prosthesis, generally called a stent, inside the artery at the site of the lesion. Stents may also be used to repair vessels having an intimal flap or dissection or to generally strengthen a weakened section of a vessel or to maintain its patency. A tubular cover formed of synthetic or natural material may be present on an outer or inner surface of the stent. Stents are usually delivered to a desired location within a coronary artery in a contracted condition on a balloon of a catheter which is similar in many respects to a balloon angioplasty catheter, and expanded within the patient's artery to a larger diameter by expansion of the balloon. The balloon is deflated to remove the catheter and the stent left in place within the artery at the site of the dilated lesion. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,768 (Lau et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,615 (Klemm et al.), which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the design of catheter balloons, characteristics such as strength, compliance, and profile of the balloon vary depending on the desired use of the balloon catheter. A variety of polymeric materials are conventionally used in catheter balloons, and the balloon material and manufacturing procedure are chosen to provide the desired balloon characteristics. Use of polymeric materials such as PET that do not stretch appreciably consequently necessitates that the balloon is formed by blow molding, and the deflated balloon material is folded around the catheter shaft in the form of wings, prior to inflation in the patient's body lumen. However, it can be desirable to employ balloons, referred to as formed-in-place balloons, that are not folded prior to inflation, but which are instead expanded to the working diameter within the patient's body lumen from a generally cylindrical or tubular shape (i.e., essentially no wings) that conforms to the catheter shaft.
Catheter balloons formed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) expanded in place within the patient's body lumen without blow molding the ePTFE tubing have been disclosed. Prior disclosed methods of forming an ePTFE balloon involved wrapping a sheet of ePTFE on a mandrel and heating the wrapped sheet to fuse the layers of wrapped material together to form a tube. The resulting ePTFE tube may be subsequently heated in one or more additional heating steps and otherwise further processed, and typically combined with a nonporous liner to complete formation of the balloon. It would be a significant advance to provide an ePTFE tube for forming a balloon or other expandable medical device or component, with improved performance characteristics and manufacturability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention is directed to a catheter balloon or other expandable tubular medical device or component, having at least a first layer with a first section, and a second section longitudinally compacted by more than the first section. The second section of the first layer is typically longitudinally adjacent to the first section of the first layer, and preferably extends at least in part along a central portion of the length of the first layer. The longitudinal compaction of the material of the first layer in accordance with the invention results in a balloon or other device or component having improved performance characteristics such as compliance and dimensional stability. One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of longitudinally compacting a porous polymeric tube incrementally along the length of the tube, to compact sections of the tube.
Longitudinal compaction of a section of the first layer decreases the length of the section and preferably also decreases the porosity of the material forming the section, so that in one embodiment, the first layer first section, which is more highly longitudinally compacted than the first layer second section, has a lower porosity than the first layer second section. The degree of longitudinal compaction is expressed herein as a percentage length reduction. Thus, a section having a precompaction length (i.e., the length of the section just prior to being longitudinally compacted in accordance with the invention) of 2 cm, which is subsequently longitudinally compacted to a length of 1 cm, has a longitudinal compaction of 50% (i.e., (2 cm−1 cm)÷2 cm).
In a presently preferred embodiment, the medical device tubular component is an inflatable balloon for a catheter. A balloon which embodies features of the invention can be used on a variety of suitable balloon catheters including coronary and peripheral dilatation catheters, stent delivery catheters, drug delivery catheters and the like. A balloon catheter of the invention generally comprises an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft section, a distal shaft section, at least a first lumen, and a balloon on a distal shaft section with an interior in fluid communication with the first lumen of the shaft. Although discussed below primarily in terms of the embodiment in which the medical device component is an inflatable member such as a balloon for a catheter, it should be understood that other expandable medical devices and components are included within the scope of the invention, including stent covers and vascular grafts.
The catheter balloon typically has a proximal and a distal skirt section secured to the shaft, an inflatable working length section, an inflatable proximal section between the proximal skirt section and the working length which inflates to a tapered configuration (“the proximal tapered section”), and an inflatable distal section between the distal skirt section and the working length which inflates to a tapered configuration (“the distal tapered section”). It should be understood that in at least in one embodiment the balloon is not blow molded or otherwise preexpanded into the inflated configuration prior to use. Thus, the “proximal and distal tapered sections” typically do not have a tapered configuration prior to the balloon being inflated during use of the balloon catheter.
In a presently preferred embodiment, the section of the first layer located at the central working length section of the balloon (hereafter the first layer working section) has a longitudinal compaction greater than the sections of the first layer located at the proximal and distal tapered sections of the balloon (hereafter the first layer tapered sections). The inflated tapered sections of the balloon form the transition between the skirt sections bonded to the shaft and the inflated working length of the balloon. Thus, depending on the length and the diameter of the inflated tapered sections, this transition can range from a gradual shallow taper to a short sharp transition. In one embodiment, the first layer tapered sections have a longitudinal compaction such that, when inflated, the tapered sections have a desired length and a desired inflated outer diameter tapering between the inflated working length to the skirt section, to decrease the hoop stress and stress concentration at the end of the skirt section. Thus, the 5 rupture pressure of the balloon is increased by increasing the rupture pressure of the bond between the skirt section and the shaft. Specifically, in one embodiment, in the inflated configuration, the tapered sections taper at an angle of about 5° to about 45°, and with an inflated length of about 1 to about 5 mm. Thus, in one embodiment, the longitudinal compaction percentages of the sections are selected to provide a balloon having a desired inflated dimension and shape.
Additionally, in one embodiment, axial shrinkage of the balloon sections which would otherwise occur during inflation of the balloon is decreased by the longitudinal compaction of the first-layer sections. Specifically, for no axial shrinkage or a minimal amount of axial shrinkage (i.e., less than 5%), the presently preferred the inflatable length of a porous polymeric layer of a balloon has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 60%, preferably about 20% to about 50%. When not compacted, the axial shrinkage is believed to be about 10% to about 30% ofthe length of the balloon.
In one embodiment, the sections ofthe first layer located at the skirt sections of the balloon (hereafter the first layer skirt sections) have a longitudinal compaction which is less than or at least not greater than the longitudinal compaction of the first layer tapered sections. In one embodiment the first layer skirt sections are not longitudinally compacted, and thus have a longitudinal compaction of 0%. The first layer skirt section preferably has improved flexibility and low profile due to the low or zero percent longitudinal compaction of the skirt section. The skirt sections of the first layer extend along the section of the balloon secured to the shaft. However, the skirt sections of the first layer are not necessarily directly secured to the shaft, and may instead have at least a portion secured to a section of a second (inner) layer of the balloon which is directly secured to the shaft. The terminology “directly secured” to the shaft should be understood to include a variety of bonding methods including fusion and adhesive bonding.
In a presently preferred embodiment, the polymeric material of the first layer of the balloon comprises a polymer having a porous structure, which in one embodiment is selected from the group consisting of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE), ultra high molecular weight polyolefin such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and porous polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, and porous polyurethane. In one embodiment, the porous material has a node and fibril microstructure. For example, ePTFE and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene typically have a node and fibril microstructure, and are not melt extrudable. The node and fibril microstructure, when present, is produced in the material using conventional methods. However, a variety of suitable polymeric materials can be used in the method of the invention including conventional catheter balloon materials which are melt extrudable. In one presently preferred embodiment, the polymeric material is typically not formed into a balloon by conventional balloon blow molding, and is instead formed into a balloon by heat fusing wrapped layers of the polymeric material together to form a tubular member. Porous materials such as ePTFE and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene typically require a nonporous second layer or liner when used to form an inflatable balloon. Thus, the balloon or other tubular medical device or component having a first layer with longitudinally compacted sections, should be understood to include an embodiment where the first layer forms at least a layer of a multilayered catheter balloon. The balloon first layer is typically longitudinally compacted before being secured to the balloon second layer, and the second layer is typically not longitudinally compacted.
A method of making a first layer of an expandable tubular medical device or component having at least one layer, generally comprises individually compacting incremental segments of a porous polymeric tube to incrementally compact the porous polymeric tube. In one embodiment, the method comprises placing a porous polymeric tube having a length and an outer diameter on a mandrel, with a diameter limiting member around at least a portion of the tube. In one embodiment, the diameter limiting device is selected from the group consisting of a die, a polymeric tube, and a sheet of polymeric material wrapped around the porous polymeric tube. A mold may also be used as the diameter limiting device, although preferably such that the mold uniformly limits the diameter of the segment of the tube during compaction, to thereby produce uniform compaction along the length of the individual segment avoiding buckling of the segment into an accordion-like configuration during compaction. At least a first compactor member is releasably secured to the tube at a first location on the tube, the secured compactor member being slidably disposed relative to the mandrel, and the compactor member is moved a distance, to thereby compact a first segment of the tube which is within the diameter limiting member and which has a length less than the entire length of the tube. The compactor member is released and repositioned on the tube at a second location on the tube, and the compactor member is releasably secured to the tube at the second location. The compactor member is then moved a distance, to compact a second segment of the tube which is adjacent to the first segment and which is within the diameter limiting member and which has a length less than-the-entire length of the tube. In one embodiment, the incremental compaction method of the invention produces uniform compaction along the length of the porous polymeric tube. In an alternative embodiment, one or more segments are compacted by an amount different than the first segment, so that the incremental compaction method of the invention produces variable compaction along the length of the porous polymeric tube.
The invention provides a catheter balloon or other expandable tubular medical device or component, having improved performance characteristics due to the longitudinal compaction of sections of the porous polymeric layer. In one embodiment, the compacted sections provide a balloon having an inflated configuration with a desired shape and dimensions, and with reduced stress at the skirt sections. An improved method of compacting porous polymeric material during formation of a tubular medical device or component, provides controllable incremental compaction of the porous polymeric material to produce uniform or variable compaction along the length of the tube. These and other advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying exemplary drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the embodiment illustrated in
The first and second layers 33, 34 of balloon 24 each extend from the proximal skirt section 25 of the balloon to the distal skirt section 26 of the balloon. The first layer 33 can have a length which is the same as or a shorter than the length of the second layer 34, or alternatively, can have end sections which extend beyond the end sections of the second layer 34 and directly onto the shaft.
The ePTFE layer 33 of balloon 24 has sections with different amounts of longitudinal compaction, at least prior to being inflated. Preferably, the ePTFE layer 33 has a first section, and a second section longitudinally adjacent to the first section and extending at least in part along a central portion of the length of the balloon, the second section being longitudinally compacted by more than the first section. In a presently preferred embodiment, the second section of the ePTFE layer 33 is located at the first layer working length (i.e., the section of the first layer 33 extending along the working section of the inflated balloon), and the first section of the ePTFE layer 33 is located at the first layer proximal or distal tapered sections. In a presently preferred embodiment, the section of the first layer located at the working length of the balloon has a greater longitudinal compaction than the sections of the first layer located at both the proximal and the distal inflated tapered sections of the balloon. Thus, in one embodiment, the central working section of the ePTFE layer 33 has a greater longitudinal compaction than the remaining inflatable sections of the ePTFE layer 33.
In one embodiment, the first layer working section has a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 60%, more specifically about 20% to about 50% of a prelongitudinal compaction length of the section, and the first layer tapered sections have a longitudinal compaction of about 10% to about 40%, more specifically about 15% to about 30% of a prelongitudinal compaction length of the sections. The percent longitudinal compaction values should be understood to refer to values existing prior to inflation of the balloon, and defined as a percentage length reduction from before to after the compaction process. For example, longitudinally compacting an ePTFE tube so that a section corresponding to the first layer working section is compacted from a prelongitudinal compaction length of about 2.86 cm to a compacted length of about 2 cm, produces a 2 cm first layer working section having a longitudinal compaction of about 30% prior to inflation of the balloon.
The first layer skirt sections have a longitudinal compaction which is not greater than, and preferably is less than the longitudinal compaction of the first layer tapered sections. In a presently preferred embodiment, the first layer skirt sections are not longitudinally compacted, and thus have a longitudinal compaction of 0%. In one embodiment, the first layer skirt sections have a longitudinal compaction of about 0% to about 30%, more specifically about 10% to about 20%.
Thus, in one presently preferred embodiment, a balloon ePTFE layer having a post-compaction working length of 20 mm compacted by 40%, post-compaction tapered sections of 2 mm compacted by 30%, and post-compaction skirt sections of 2 mm compacted by 20%, had an original pre-compaction working length of 33.3 mm, original pre-compaction tapered sections of 2.86 mm, and original pre-compaction skirt sections of 2.5 mm.
The first layer working section, prior to inflation of the balloon 24, preferably has a lower porosity than the first layer proximal and distal tapered sections and lower than the first layer proximal and distal skirt sections. Specifically, in one embodiment, the first layer working section (prior to inflation) has a porosity about 0 to about 40% lower than a porosity of the first layer proximal and distal tapered sections, and about 10 to about 60% lower than a porosity of the first layer proximal and distal skirt sections. In one embodiment, the first layer proximal and distal tapered sections have a porosity lower than the first layer proximal and distal skirt sections, and specifically about 10 to about 30% lower than the porosity of the first layer proximal and distal skirt sections.
The ePTFE layer 33 is preferably formed according to a method in which an ePTFE tube used to form layer 33 is incrementally compacted. Specifically, the individual sections of layer 33 having specific longitudinal compaction values (e.g., the working length, and the proximal and distal tapered sections) are each produced by compacting multiple smaller length portions of the tube. For example, to produce a working length having a length of 2 cm and a longitudinal compaction of about 30%, 3 portions each having an initial precompaction length of 0.95 cm would each be successively compacted to a compacted length of 0.65 cm (i.e., (0.7)(0.95 cm)), to collectively produce the 2 cm working length having a 30% longitudinal compaction.
In the embodiment illustrated in
During compaction, the compactor member 45 may be moved the entire distance “d” to the die inlet 43, or alternatively, it may be moved a distance less than “d” depending on the amount of longitudinal compaction desired for the segment being compacted. For example, in the embodiments illustrated in
The inner diameter of the inner chamber of die 42 is sized so that the tube 40 compacts without the outer diameter of the tube increasing. The inner diameter of the inner chamber of die 42 is typically about equal to the outer diameter of the tube 40 on the mandrel 41. Alternatively, the inner diameter of the inner chamber of die 42 may be smaller than the outer diameter of the tube 40 on the mandrel 41, so that it provides resistance to movement of the tube 40 therein to increase the percent compaction of the tube 40. The length of the inner chamber of the die 42 in which tube is compacted is typically about 1 to about 5 cm, preferably about 2 to about 3 cm. The length of the tube 40 is typically about 4 to about 20 cm to produce a layer 33 of a balloon having a length of about 2 to about 10 cm. The length of the segments S1, S2, S3 is typically about 5 to about 25 mm, preferably about 5 to about 15 mm. The length of the segment is preferably sufficiently short such that the segment compacts uniformly along the length of the segment and without buckling.
After being longitudinally compacted, the tube 40 may be heat treated or otherwise further processed and secured to the second layer 34, to complete formation of the balloon 24. The tube 40 is typically longitudinally stretched prior to being longitudinally compacted, as for example by being placed on a mandrel and pulled at either end to stretch down on to the mandrel, although it can be longitudinally stretched using a variety of suitable methods. With the tube 40 restrained in the longitudinally stretched configuration, the tube 40 is typically heated, to stabilize the tube in the stretched configuration prior to being longitudinally compacted.
In the embodiment illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment (not shown), a fixing member is used in place of the second compaction member 54, which is releasably secures the tube 40 to the mandrel 41, so that compacting the segment therebetween comprises moving the first compactor member 53 toward the fixing member. The distance between the first compaction member 53 and the fixing member is then increased, for compacting another segment of the tube as described above.
To the extent not previously discussed herein, the various catheter components may be formed and joined by conventional materials and methods. For example, the outer and inner tubular members 14, 16 can be formed by conventional techniques, such as by extruding and necking materials found useful in intravascular catheters such a polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyesters, polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, and composite materials.
The length of the balloon catheter 10 is generally about 108 to about 200 centimeters, preferably about 137 to about 145 centimeters, and typically about 140 centimeters for PTCA. The outer tubular member 14 has an outer diameter (OD) of about 0.017 to about 0.036 inch (0.43-0.91 mm), and an inner diameter (ID) of about 0.012 to about 0.035 inch (0.30-0.89 mm). The inner tubular member 14 has an OD of about 0.017 to about 0.026 inch (0.43-0.66 mm), and an ID of about 0.015 to about 0.018 inch (0.38-0.46 mm) depending on the diameter of the guidewire to be used with the catheter. The balloon 24 is has a length of about 8 mm to about 80 mm, typically about 8 mm to about 38 mm, and an inflated working diameter of about 1.5 mm to about 20 mm, typically about 2 mm to about 10 mm.
While the present invention has been described herein in terms of certain preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications and improvements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the embodiment illustrated in
Claims
1-25. (canceled)
26. A method of making at least a first layer of an expandable tubular medical device or component, comprising:
- a) placing a porous polymeric tube having a length and an outer diameter on a mandrel, with a diameter limiting member around at least a portion of the tube;
- b) releasably securing at least a first compactor member to the tube at a first location on the tube, the secured compactor member being slidably disposed relative to the mandrel;
- c) moving the compactor member a distance, to compact a first segment of the tube in the diameter limiting member and having a length less than the entire length of the tube, and releasing the compactor member;
- d) releasably securing the compactor member to the tube at a second location on the tube; and
- e) moving the compactor member a distance, to compact a second segment of the tube in the diameter limiting member which has a length less than the entire length of the tube, and releasing the compactor member.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the diameter limiting member is selected from the group consisting of a die, a polymeric tube, a mold, and a sheet of polymeric material wrapped around the porous polymeric tube, and compacting the tube comprises pushing the tube in a lumen defined by the diameter limiting member so that the segment of the tube compacts and the outer diameter of the tube does not increase to greater than the inner diameter of the lumen of the diameter limiting member.
28. The method of claim 26 including a second compactor member releasably secured to the tube at a location on the tube longitudinally spaced apart from the at least a first compactor member and slidably disposed relative to the mandrel, and compacting the segment of the tube comprises moving the first and second compactor members together toward a center of the length of the tube.
29. The method of claim 26 including a fixing member releasably securing the tube to the mandrel, and compacting the segment of the tube comprises moving the first compactor member towards the fixing member.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the diameter limiting member is a die, and the fixing member is on the tube at an outlet of the die, and the distance of c) equals the distance between the first location on the tube and an inlet of the die.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein the second segment is compacted by an amount different than the first section.
32. The method of claim 31 wherein the first segment has a length equal to the second segment, and the distance the compactor is moved in e) is different than the distance the compactor is moved in b).
33. The method of claim 31 wherein the first segment has a length greater than the second segment, and the distance the compactor is moved in e) is equal to the distance the compactor is moved in b).
34. A method of making at least a first layer of a catheter balloon, the balloon having an inflatable working length and inflatable sections proximal and distal to the working length, comprising:
- a) placing a porous polymeric tube having a length and an outer diameter on a mandrel with a portion of the polymeric tube in a die, the die having an inlet and an outlet;
- b) releasably securing a compactor member to the tube at a location on the tube spaced from the inlet of the die, the secured compactor member being slidably disposed relative to the mandrel, and releasably securing the tube to the mandrel with a fixing member at a location on the tube adjacent the outlet of the die;
- c) moving the compactor member toward the inlet of the die, to compact a first segment of the tube located between the compactor and the die outlet, the first segment having a length less than the entire length of the tube, releasing the compactor member and fixing member and repositioning the tube to place a noncompacted portion of the tube in the lumen of the die;
- d) releasably securing the compactor member to the tube at a location on the tube spaced from the inlet of the die and releasably securing the tube to the mandrel with the fixing member at a location on the tube adjacent the outlet of the die; and
- e) moving the compactor member toward the inlet of the die, to compact a second segment of the tube located between the compactor and the die outlet, the second segment having a length less than the entire length of the tube.
35. The method of claim 34 wherein the first segment is compacted by the same amount as the second segment.
36. The method of claim 35 wherein the first and second segments form a first compacted section at least in part forming one of the proximal or distal inflatable sections of the balloon.
37. The method of claim 36 wherein the first and second segments are each compacted by about 5% to about 15%.
38. The method of claim 36 including after e) compacting one or more additional segments of the tube to form a second compacted section at least in part forming the working length of the balloon.
39. The method of claim 38 wherein the second compacted section is compacted by about 30% to about 50%.
40. The method of claim 38 including after forming the second compacted section, compacting one or more additional segments of the tube to form a third compacted section at least in part forming the distal tapered section of the balloon.
41. The method of claim 40 wherein the third compacted section is compacted by about 5% to about 15%.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 29, 2005
Publication Date: Aug 4, 2005
Applicant:
Inventors: Timothy Owens (Dublin, CA), Florencia Lim (Union City, CA)
Application Number: 11/094,025