[54] METHOD OF MAKING A VASCULAR PROSTHESIS
[76] Inventor: Heinz Robert Zurbrugg,
Biindackerstrasse 158. CH-3047
Bremgarten. Switzerland
[21] Appl. No.: 815,478
[22] Filed: Mar. 11, 1997
Related U.S. Application Data
[62] Division of Ser. No. 346,151, Nov. 29, 1994, Pat. No. 5,645,581.
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data
Nov. 30, 1993 [DE] Germany 43 40 755.2
[51] Int CI.6 A61F 2/04; A61F 2/06
[52] U.S. CI 600/36:623/1
[58] Field of Search 623/1. 11. 12.
623/13; 600/36; 606/151-158; 604/8
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,337,673 8/1967 Jeckel 264/324
3.626,947 12/1971 Sparks 128/334 R
4,441,215 4/1984 Raster 3/1.4
4,475,972 10/1984 Wong 156/167
4,743,251 5/1988 Barra 623/1
4,986,831 1/1991 King et al 623/1
5,192,311 3/1993 King et al 623/1
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
0055250 8/1985 European Pat. Off. A61F 2/06
0492481 1/1992 European Pat. Off. A61F 2/06
2556210 6/1985 France A61F 2/06
1205743 9/1970 United Kingdom A61M 29/00
Primary Examiner—Debra S. Brittingham
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Robin. Blecker, Daley and
Driscoll
[57] ABSTRACT
The invention concerns a vascular prosthesis for the replacement of blood vessels in the human or animal body, consisting of a section of a replacement blood vessel (3) which has been taken from a human or animal body and a fibroelastic tube (2) which is drawn over this vascular section, whose intersecting threads (1) which form the' tube wind in spiral form around the longitudinal axis of the tube, wherein the nbro-elastic tube (2) is extended pointwise in the longitudinal direction with alteration of the diameter or is compressed and thereby is caused to contact the replacement vessel evenly over its total area.
14 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
