US 12,274,613 B2
Polymer composite-covered stents
Mathew Dixon, Mesa, AZ (US); and Albana Kosta, Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Assigned to C. R. Bard, Inc., Franklin Lakes, NJ (US)
Filed by C. R. BARD, INC., Tempe, AZ (US)
Filed on Dec. 23, 2014, as Appl. No. 14/582,074.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/937,235, filed on Feb. 7, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2015/0223932 A1, Aug. 13, 2015
Int. Cl. A61F 2/24 (2006.01); A61L 31/04 (2006.01); A61L 31/14 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/2418 (2013.01) [A61L 31/048 (2013.01); A61L 31/14 (2013.01); A61L 2420/08 (2013.01); B32B 2250/24 (2013.01); B32B 2307/514 (2013.01); B32B 2535/00 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heart valve replacement device, comprising:
a heart valve comprising:
a polymer composite including:
an inner anisotropic polymer layer having an inner-layer orientation;
an outer anisotropic polymer layer having an outer-layer orientation; and
a stent structure disposed between the inner anisotropic polymer layer and the outer anisotropic polymer layer, wherein:
at least one of the inner-layer orientation or the outer-layer orientation is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stent structure,
the polymer composite is fused together around struts of the stent structure from a proximal end of the stent structure to a distal end of the stent structure, and
the polymer composite has an average stitch retention strength of at least about 250 gram-force (gF).