Influence of Manufacturing Process of Warp-knitted Vascular Prosthesis on the Wall Homogeneity

This paper reports the evolution of textile structure and mechanical properties of vascular prosthesis in the level of the whole prosthesis and the constituent filaments with respect to the manufacturing process.The tubular wall of the prosthesis is divided circumferentially into three zones: basic line (BL),remeshing line (RL) and guide line (GL). Some heterogeneity has been observed on the tubular wall in :erms of stitch structure of the prosthesis and linear density of the constituent filaments. The breaking position of the prosthesis under circumferential tensile localizes preferentially in remeshing line that is the weakest zone by warp knitting with double needle bed. Furthermore, the statistical differences of the mechanical properties of the filaments of zone RL, GL and BL have been confirmed too. It is predictable that the deterioration of prosthesis, under physiological loads (periodical pulse blood pressure etc.), could happen firstly in the weaker zone in vivo.