Medical devices comprising hydrogel polymers having improved mechanical properties
US6368356B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 25, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 25, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S623/926
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention provides a means of boosting the mechanical performance of shaped shaped medical devices comprising polymer hydrogels, such as stents, so that they may be more easily inserted into or removed from the body. In one aspect, the invention provides shaped medical devices having increased mechanical strength and comprising both ionic and covalent crosslinks. In another aspect, the invention provides a shaped medical device having a heterogeneous polymer composition and a variable dissolution or degradation rate along its length. The shaped medical devices according to the present invention retain their shape and stiffness during insertion into the body and can swell and soften inside the body to enhance patient comfort.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.