Lubricious compound and medical device made of the same

Abstract

A hydrophilic polymer blend where at least one of the polymer materials is a water insoluble polymer and one of the materials is a hydrophilic water-soluble polymer. The invention includes a method of forming the hydrophilic polymer blend by melt mixing the hydrophilic polymer and the insoluble polymer into a finely dispersed polymer blend, forming strands of the hydrophilic polymer blend, and then pelletizing the strands.

1 . A method of forming a lubricious polymer comprising: 
 drying a polyethylene oxide of a molecular weight between about 200,000 and about 7,000,000;    drying a polyether block amide;    adding the polyethylene oxide into a first feeder and the polyether block amide into a second feeder, the first and second feeders controlled by a feeder control and situated to feed the polymers into a compounding extruder;    melt mixing the polymers with a low shear/low energy screw into a generally uniform blend;    extruding the blend through a forming die to form a strand;    cooling the strand; and    pelletizing the strand.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising drawing the strand as it being cooled.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein cooling further comprises running the strands over a chill roller, the chill roller cooled by a chilled water bath.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising cross-linking the lubricious polymer a predetermined amount.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein cross-linking the polymer further comprises applying an electron beam to the polymer.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein drying the polyethylene oxide comprises drying a polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of about 1,000,000.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein melt mixing the polymers further includes heating the polymers.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polyethylene oxide and the polyether block amide are added to the first and second feeders at a rate to produce a polymer that is up to 60% polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polyethylene oxide and the polyether block amide are added to the first and second feeders at a rate to produce a polymer that is about 35% to about 50% polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polyethylene oxide and the polyether block amide are added to the first and second feeders at a rate to produce a polymer that is about 40% polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       11 . A lubricous polymer comprising: 
 a finely dispersed blend of a polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of between about 200,000 and about 7,000,000 and a polyether block amide, the blend including up to about 60% by weight of the polyethylene oxide.    
   
   
       12 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 11  wherein the polymer blend includes between about 35% and about 50% polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       13 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 11  wherein the polymer blend includes about 40% polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       14 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 11  wherein the polyethylene oxide has a molecular weight of about 500,000 to 2,000,000.  
   
   
       15 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 11  wherein the polyethylene oxide has a molecular weight of about 1,000,000.  
   
   
       16 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 11  wherein the polyether block amide has a shore hardness of 72D.  
   
   
       17 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 11  wherein the lubricious polymer is cross-linked a desired amount.  
   
   
       18 . A lubricous polymer blend comprising: 
 a substantially uniform polymer blend of a polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of between about 200,000 and 7,000,000 and a polyether block amide, the blend including up to 60% by weight of the polyethylene oxide.    
   
   
       19 . A lubricous polymer comprising: 
 a finely dispersed blend of a polyethylene oxide with a molecular weight of between about 200,000 and about 7,000,000 and a polyurethane, the blend including up to about 60% by weight of the polyethylene oxide.    
   
   
       20 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 19  wherein the polymer blend includes about 40% polyethylene oxide.  
   
   
       21 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 19  wherein the polyethylene oxide has a molecular weight of about 500,000 to 2,000,000.  
   
   
       22 . The lubricious polymer of  claim 19  wherein the polyethylene oxide has a molecular weight of about 1,000,000.