Fluorinated material for medical devices such as catheters
A medical device, such as a vascular catheter, is at least partly made from a formulation which comprises a relatively soft polymer, a compatible, relatively stiff polymer, and up to about 15 weight percent of a fluorine-containing polymer, to provide a material which has inherent lubricating characteristics against, for example, a guidewire in a guidewire lumen of the catheter. In one embodiment, the tip of the catheter may be made of such a fluorinated formulation, while the catheter body may be fluorine-free.
1 . A catheter for the vascular system of a patient, which comprises:
a tubular catheter body having a distal end; and
a catheter tip, integrally attached to said distal end of the catheter body, at least a portion of said catheter tip being longitudinally spaced beyond said distal end of the catheter body, said catheter tip being made of a formulation which comprises an organofluorine polymer in sufficient concentration to provide lubricity without the presence of a lubricating surface layer of different formulation; said catheter body being made of another formulation which is substantially-fluorine free.
2 . The catheter of claim 1 which carries a balloon adjacent to said catheter tip
3 . The catheter of claim 1 in which said catheter body comprises nylon.
4 . The catheter of claim 1 in which said catheter tip comprises a mixture of:
(a) From about 45 to 99.9 wt. percent of a relatively soft polymer;
(b) From about 0 to 30 wt. percent of a polymer that is relatively stiff, compared with ingredient (a) above; and
(c) From about 0.1 to 15 wt. percent of a fluorine-containing polymer.
5 . The catheter of claim 4 in which said fluorine-containing polymer comprises polyvinylidene fluoride.
6 . The catheter of claim 4 in which said relatively stiff polymer comprises a nylon.
7 . The catheter of claim 4 in which said relatively soft polymer comprises a poly(ether-nylon) block co-polymer.
8 . The catheter of claim 4 in which the fluorine present in the polymer is substantially carbon-bonded fluorine.
9 . The catheter of claim 1 in which said catheter tip comprises a mixture of:
(a) From about 70 to 90 wt. percent of a relatively soft polymer;
(b) From about 6 to 25 wt. percent of a compatible polymer that is relatively stiff, compared with ingredient (a) above; and
(c) From about 0.2 to 5 wt. percent of a fluorine-containing polymer.
10 . The catheter of claim 9 in which said fluorine-containing polymer comprises polyvinylidene fluoride.
11 . The catheter of claim 9 in which said relatively stiff polymer comprises a nylon.
12 . The catheter of claim 9 in which said relatively soft polymer comprises a poly (ether-nylon) block co-polymer.
13 . The catheter of claim 9 in which the fluorine present in the polymer is substantially carbon-bonded fluorine.
14 . The catheter of claim 1 in which said catheter tip defines a guidewire lumen that provides inherent lubricity to a guidewire contained therein.
15 . A catheter which comprises: a tubular catheter body having a distal end that terminates in a catheter tip, at least one of said catheter body and tip being made of a formulation which comprises:
(a) From about 45 to 99.9 wt. percent of a relatively soft polymer;
(b) From about 0 to 30 wt. percent of a polymer that is relatively stiff, compared with ingredient (a) above; and
(c) From about 0.1 to 15 wt. percent of a fluorine-containing polymer.
16 . The catheter of claim 15 in which said fluorine-containing polymer comprises polyvinylidene fluoride.
17 . The catheter of claim 15 in which said relatively stiff polymer comprises a nylon.
18 . The catheter of claim 15 in which said relatively soft polymer comprises poly(ether-nylon) block co-polymer.
19 . The catheter of claim 15 in which the fluorine present in the polymer is substantially carbon-bonded fluorine.
20 . The catheter of claim 15 in which said catheter body and tip define a guidewire lumen that provides inherent lubricity to a guidewire contained therein.
21 . A medical device which is at least partly made from a formulation which comprises a mixture of:
(a) From about 45 to 99.9 wt. percent of a relatively soft polymer;
(b) From about 0 to 30 wt. percent of a polymer that is relatively stiff, compared with ingredient (a) above; and
(c) From about 0.1 to 15 wt. percent of a fluorine-containing polymer.
22 . The medical device of claim 21 in which the total fluorine concentration is 0.02 to 2 weight percent.
23 . The catheter of claim 1 in which the total fluorine concentration is 0.02 to 2 weight percent.
24 . The catheter of claim 15 in which the total fluorine concentration is 0.02 to 2 weight percent.