Xeltis Ag

Christophe Pierre Edouard Naz

Martijn Antonius Johannes Cox

Anandkumar Nandakumar

Fabio Zomer Volpato

Jurgen Sander Miedema

Oleg Svanidze

A method of making a medical implant is provided by electrospinning a polymer solution to form a preform around a mandrel. The formed preform distinguishes an inner surface and an outer surface. The formed preform is removed from the mandrel and flipped inside-out resulting in the inner surface of the formed preform becoming the outer surface of the inside-out flipped preform, and the outer surface of the formed preform becoming the inner surface of the inside-out flipped preform. At least part of the inside-out flipped preform forms the medical implant such as e.g. an artificial heart valve, an artificial leaflet, an artificial graft, or an artificial vessel. The products made according to the method of this invention greatly improve the performance and durability of the medical implant.

Medical implant preform produced using an inside out flipping method

Endoluminal and other as implantable prostheses are fabricated in electrospinning apparatus including a target and an applicator. A solution comprising a polymer and a solvent is directed to the target with a first electrical potential between the target and the applicator to produce a first set of fibers. The same or another solution is continued to be delivered through the applicator onto the target while applying a second electrical potential to produce a second set of fibers having a second solvent fraction, and the same or different solution may be delivered while applying a third potential difference to produce a laminated structure having at least three layers. By properly controlling the electrical potentials and solvent fractions, an adhesive layer can be formed to serve a glue or adhesive between the inner and outer layers, and a stent or other scaffold may be positioned between the inner and outer layers to form a covered stent or graft.

Growing community of inventors

Avon, France

Christophe Pierre Edouard Naz