W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Jon P Moseley

Huey Shen Wu

Jack J Hegenbarth

Thane L Kranzler

James W Chang

An improved elastomeric material is described comprising an essentially noncross-linkable amorphous copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE) which is both a thermoplastic and exhibits exceptional mechanical properties. This material is particularly suitable for use in ultra-clean environments, and particularly for use in an implantable device, since it does not contain contaminants that previous thermoset TFE/PMVE copolymers have required. Among the improved properties of the present invention are excellent biocompatibility, high matrix tensile strength, high clarity, high abrasion resistance, high purity, adequate elasticity, and ease of processing due to the thermoplastic, and noncross-linkable structure of the copolymer. The material of the present invention is also a high strength bonding agent particularly suited for bonding porous PTFE to itself or to other porous substances at room or elevated temperatures.

Thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether and medical devices employing the copolymer

A high strength, porous PTFE sheet material having high strength in all directions within the plane of the sheet material. The sheet material has, within the plane of the sheet, a higher minimum tensile strength, matrix tensile strength, secant modulus and matrix secant modulus than previously known porous PTFE sheet materials. The sheet material is a laminate of multiple layers of porous PTFE film, preferably uniaxially expanded film, wherein the orientation of the direction of the fibrils of any layer varies slightly, such as about ten degrees, from the orientation of the fibrils of the adjacent layer. The sheet material is particularly useful as a surgical repair patch and especially as a blood vessel repair patch because of its high strength, flexibility, biocompatibility and very low rate of suture line bleeding.

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Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America

Jon P Moseley