MEDICAL DEVICE INCLUDING A THIN METALLIC FILM COMPONENT ATTACHED TO A POLYMERIC COMPONENT AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
A medical device including a medical device thin metallic film component (such as a thin metallic angioplasty balloon), with perforations therethrough, attached to a medical device polymeric component (e.g., a polymeric tubular catheter) abutting the thin metallic film component. The medical device also includes a polymeric sleeve covering the perforations and at least a portion of the polymeric component abutting the thin metallic film component. Moreover, the polymeric sleeve intrudes into the perforations and joins the thin metallic film component to the polymeric component. A method for attaching a medical device thin metallic film component (for example a thin metallic film angioplasty balloon) to a medical device polymeric component (e.g., a tubular polymeric catheter) includes forming a plurality of perforations in the medical device thin metallic film component and abutting the medical device polymeric component against the medical device thin metallic component. Subsequently, a polymeric sleeve is applied over the perforations and at least a portion of the abutted medical device polymeric component. Heat and/or pressure is then applied to the polymer sleeve in a manner that results in the polymer sleeve being joined to the medical device thin metallic film and the portion of the abutted medical device polymeric component and the polymer sleeve flowing into the perforations, thereby attaching the medical device thin metallic film component to the medical device polymeric component.
1 . A medical device comprising:
a medical device thin metallic film component with perforations therethrough;
a medical device polymeric component abutting the thin metallic film component; and
a polymeric sleeve covering the perforations and at least a portion of the polymeric component abutting the thin metallic film component, the polymeric sleeve intruding into the perforations and joining the medical device thin metallic film component to the medical device polymeric component.
2 . The medical device of claim 1 wherein the medical device thin metallic film component is made of nitinol.
3 . The medical device of claim 1 wherein the medical device thin metallic film component is an angioplasty balloon.
4 . The medical device of claim 3 wherein the medical device polymeric component is a tubular polymeric catheter.
5 . The medical device of claim 1 wherein the medical device polymeric component and the polymeric sleeve are formed of the same polymeric material.
6 . The medical device of claim 1 wherein the perforations are circular perforations with a diameter in the range of 5 microns to 50 microns.
7 . A method for attaching a medical device thin metallic film component to a medical device polymeric component comprising:
forming a plurality of perforations in the medical device thin metallic film component;
abutting the medical device polymeric component against the medical device thin metallic component;
applying a polymeric sleeve over the perforations and at least a portion of the abutted medical device polymeric component;
applying at least one of heat and pressure to the polymeric sleeve such that the polymer sleeve is joined to the medical device thin metallic film and the portion of the abutted medical device polymeric component and such that the polymeric sleeve flows into the perforations, thereby attaching the medical device thin metallic film component to the medical device polymeric component.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the medical device thin metallic film component is made of nitinol.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the medical device thin metallic film component is an angioplasty.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein the medical device polymeric component is a tubular polymeric catheter.
11 . The method of claim 7 wherein the medical device polymeric component and the polymeric sleeve are formed of the same polymeric material.
12 . The method of claim 7 wherein the forming step forms circular perforations with a diameter in the range of 5 microns to 50 microns.