Patent ID: 6077880
Filing Date: 2000-06-20
Classification: A61L,C08J,C08K,C08L

Abstract:
A vascular catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal end of said catheter comprising a highly radiopaque polyolefin compound wherein the radiopaque material in said compound is wetted with a dispersing agent and substantially uniformly dispersed and held within a polymer matrix, said highly radiopaque polyolefin compound is formed from a method comprising:a) heating an amount of polyolefin material to at least its melting temperature, said amount of polyolefin equal to at least 10% by weight of said compound;b) adding an amount of radiopaque metal powder to said polyolefin, said amount of radiopaque material equal to up to 90% by weight of said compound;c) adding an amount of a stearate dispersing agent to said polyolefin to form a mixture, said amount of metal stearate equal to at least 0.2% by weight of said compound; andd) mixing and cooling said mixture below its melting temperature to form said compound.