Neovascularization promoting membrane for bioimplants
View Patent ↗A method of producing a biocompatible microporous membrane comprising the steps of providing a biocompatible membrane and using an energy beam to form a set of pores having a minor axis of less than 15 μm through the biocompatible membrane. One embodiment includes the steps of producing a first layer of material, defining a first set of pores; producing a second layer of material, defining a second set of pores and wherein the second set of pores is defined so as to cooperatively engage the first set of pores; and aligning and joining the first layer of material to the second layer of material to form a laminated membrane, having through-passageways formed by the first set of pores at least partially aligned with the second set of pores.
1. A method of addressing a condition of a living body comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a work piece biocompatible membrane;
(b) using an energy beam to form a set of pores, having a mean area of less than 500 μm 2 through said biocompatible membrane, thereby producing a microporous membrane adapted to facilitate tissue in growth; and
(c) providing an article that is adapted to be implanted in a living body;
(d) at least partially wrapping said article in said microporous membrane;
(e) implanting said at least partially wrapped article into said living body, thereby addressing said condition.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said energy beam is a light beam.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said light beam is a laser beam.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said laser beam is formed in part by a mask placed over said biocompatible membrane.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein said laser beam is produced by a nd:YAG laser.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said energy beam is formed by a plasma protruding through a pore defined on a mask placed over said biocompatible membrane.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said living body implant is a catheter.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said work piece biocompatible membrane is porous.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein said work piece biocompatible membrane is not porous.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein said microporous membrane adapted to facilitate tissue in growth has been substantially optimally engineered to facilitate tissue in growth.