The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 13, 2010
Filed:
Sep. 29, 2003
Applicants:
Ashish Varma, Galway, IE;
Frank Clarke, Galway, IE;
Inventors:
Ashish Varma, Galway, IE;
Frank Clarke, Galway, IE;
Assignee:
Medtronic Vascular, Inc., Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61L 2/08 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A sterilization process that preserves the mechanical properties of dilatation balloons and balloon catheters manufactured from polymers susceptible to the degradation reactions induced by ionizing radiation. The advantages of the sterilization process contemplated by this invention results from a reduced oxygen environment during sterilization, thereby preventing the degeneration process initiated in polymers during irradiation. Additionally, a balloon or balloon dilatation catheter sterilized by the process of the invention is provided.