TEXTILE INSERT FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME

Abstract

This three-dimensional knitted textile insert is obtained in a single step by warp knitting technology, on a double-needle Raschel machine or on a crocheting machine. It includes in the production direction at least two tubes extending parallel to one another, and separated from one another by a binding area at the level of which the sheets resulting from the knitting are interlinked.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional knitted textile insert obtained in a single step by warp knitting technology, on a double-needle Raschel machine or on a crocheting machine, comprising in the production direction at least two tubes extending parallel to one another, and separated from one another by a binding area at the level of which the sheets resulting from the knitting are interlinked, respectively a main tube of greater diameter and at least one side tube, wherein a straight yarn or an assembly of capstan-mounted yarns, which thus does not loop, a band, optical fibers, or any other material having length as a main dimension, a rod, a cord, or a rigidifying element, intended to ease the implementation of the insert implantation, is introduced into one or the side tubes, that is, other than the so-called main tube, in a single step on forming of the insert on the knitting machine.

2. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein the tubes are tangent to one another or separated from each other or from one another by a planar area.

3. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein the tubes that further comprising have different diameters.

4. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 3, wherein the tube having the largest diameter, called main tube receives a catheter, a Nitinol tube, or an implantable element.

5. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein the porosity of the insert is defined by the bindings or weaves implemented on the machine, and said porosity may be different from one tube to the other of the insert.

6. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 5, wherein the opening of the insert pores, defined by the bindings or weaves, is in the range from 0.05 to 3 millimeters in their largest dimension.

7. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein the yarns are monofilament or multifilament yarns.

8. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein one of the tubes is open during the knitting.

9. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein the yarns forming the insert are made of synthetic polymer or copolymer, resorptive or not.

10. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein the yarns forming the insert are made of polymer of natural origin, resorptive or not.

11. The three-dimensional knitted textile insert according to claim 1, wherein other yarns are introduced into the insert on forming thereof, to give the insert specific properties, the inserted yarns being metallic or shape-memory yarns of Nitinol type, or made of polymer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The way in which the invention may be implemented and the resulting advantages will better appear from the following non-limiting embodiments, in relation with the accompanying drawings.

[0046] FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of an insert according to the invention, formed of a triple microtube.

[0047] FIG. 2 is a simplified representation of the insert of FIG. 1, where the outer tubes each receive a rigidifying organ, such as a cord.

[0048] FIGS. 3 and 4 are simplified views of another embodiment of the invention, this time having one or a plurality of fins on either side of the central tube.

[0049] FIGS. 5 and 6 are simplified representations of variants of the insert of the invention, comprising a plurality of parallel tubes arranged either tangentially or quasi-tangentially with respect to one another, or spaced apart by flat portions.

[0050] FIG. 7 is a simplified representation of a weave implemented for the forming of a multi-microtubes such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0051] FIG. 8 is a simplified representation of a weave implemented for the forming of a multi-microtubes such as shown in FIG. 3.

[0052] FIG. 9 is a simplified representation of a variation of FIG. 2, having an open central tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] FIGS. 1 and 2 are, as already indicated, simplified views of a triple microtube. The multi-microtube (101) is formed on a warp knitting double-needle machine, typically a Raschel machine, and has a three-dimensional structure.

[0054] The following are thus simultaneously formed on said machine:

[0055] a main tube (102, 202), in the case in point capable of having a diameter in the range from 3 to 4 millimeters; two side micro-tubes (103, 203), arranged parallel to the main tube (102, 202), and diametrically opposite to each other with respect to said main tube (102, 202); the two tubes (103, 203) are likely to have a typical diameter in the range from 0.3 to 5 millimeters. The respective diameter of the tubes (102, 202; 103, 203) depends on the binding area (104, 204), that is, on the distance between two consecutive binding areas.

[0056] As a corollary, the different tubes extending in the production direction may be either tangent to one another, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, or separated from one another by a flat area (502, 602) by a variable distancedepending on the requirements imposed for the implementation of the considered insert, and as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0057] The main tube (102, 202) may house a catheter or a Nitinol-type tube or an artificial element for replacing a given organ of heart valve ring type, as illustrated in FIG. 2 with the element (205). This catheter or the like is inserted into the tube (102, 202) after the forming of the insert on the knitting machine. Such an insertion is made possible due to the rigidity of the element (205).

[0058] This same FIG. 2 also illustrates the introduction of cords or rods or of specific capstan-mounted monofilaments (206) directly introduced on manufacturing on the machine when the rigidity is limited. The rods, cords, or yarns (206) enable to ease the introduction of the insert into the patient's body. They further define an easier and more secure suture area for the securing by the surgeon.

[0059] FIG. 9 illustrates a variant of FIG. 2, where the central or main tube (202) is open. The edges defined by the open tube have been materialized with reference (207). To obtain such an open tube, yarns are suppressed at certain locations of one of the two needle rows of the machine. As a variation, it is also possible to obtain such an open tube by adaptation of the threading or of the weave, like for the creation of two widths on a single-needle machine, which techniques is within the abilities of those skilled in the art.

[0060] The advantage of such a configuration essentially lies in the possibility of introducing into the insert of the invention an element which cannot be introduced into the machine or which cannot be inserted into the concerned tube after the forming of the textile structure. Such an element is thus associated with the insert of the invention by sewing, and particularly seaming of the two free edges (207) of the concerned tube around said element. Such an element may in particular be formed of a ring of a heart valve, and generally of any element necessary to the functionalizing of the insert.

[0061] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a second embodiment. According to an embodiment, fins (303) and (403) are formed on manufacturing of the insert on the machine. Such fins actually result from the binding on the machine of the side tubes to the main tube (302, 402). Such flat portions or fins (303, 403) thus enable to ease, on the one hand, the forming of certain links within the organism, thus favoring thus colonization, and, on the other hand, the practitioner's intervention, the securing of the implant being easier.

[0062] FIGS. 5 and 6 show, as already mentioned, alternative embodiments of the tubes illustrated in the previous drawings. The tubes (501) or (601), parallel to one another and oriented in the production direction, are no longer arranged tangentially to one another, but are coupled together by flat portions (502) and (602), resulting from the binding on the machine. The width of the flat areas (502, 602) depends on the bulk of the binding.

[0063] FIG. 7 shows a knit obtained by a warp knit technology according to the present invention. This drawing schematically shows a face structure (701) corresponding to the first model of multi-microtubes shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The work of the yarns on each needle row (702) and (703) can also be observed, which work aims at creating a main tube, with, at its border, the work of the yarns passing from one needle row to the other to enclose the rods and added elements (704), such as for example metal yarns (for example, made of copper, of nickel, of silver, of gold, of aluminum) or shape memory yarns of Nitinol type or of polymer (for example, PET (polyetherterephthalate), polypropylene, polyethylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, e-PTFE, PLA, PGA, PCL, PDO, aramides).

[0064] The yarns forming the knit may be mono- or multifilament and are selected from a wide range of natural or synthetic polymer materials, resorptive or not.

[0065] This technology further has the advantage of varying the work of the yarns, but also their density in the production direction and in the cross-machine direction, thus determining the porosity of the multi-microtubes, thus easing the grafting of the implant into the organism.

[0066] FIG. 8 also shows a knit fabric obtained by warp knitting according to the invention. It relates to the structure corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4, that is, to the model of a microtube with an adjacent flat portion. The same binding technique is used to form the tube: it is formed on a double needle row while another binding is used to obtain the flat portion. Simple knit (801) and satin (802) bindings are then combined. The latter have partial wefts or weft floats favoring the anchoring in the organism.

[0067] The finishing of the insert, particularly at the level of its lateral edges, should be as thin as possible, and advantageously devoid of free yarn ends, so that there is no risk of danger for the organism on introduction thereof. Such a finishing is advantageously formed by the adding of chains (803) at the selvedge of the product, to increase the accuracy of the textile binding construction.

[0068] Said selvedges may further receive, by an appropriate looping, inserted yarns (804), such as for example made of metal, of a metallic alloy (Nitinol), or of a polymer, like the yarns (704) of FIG. 7.