Abstract:
The invention provides a method of manufacturing a polymeric implantable medical device using gel extrusion of high molecular weight polymers or charge-induced orientation to avoid heat degradation of the polymer that might occur during conventional heat extrusion.
Abstract:
Guide wires including a guide wire tip portion including a distal tip portion and a proximal tip portion, where the tip portion includes a circular cross-section and substantially constant diameter along both a linear elastic distal tip portion and a superelastic proximal tip portion. Methods for manufacture include providing a superelastic wire (e.g., nitinol) including a length so as to define both a distal tip portion and a proximal tip portion. The distal tip portion is cold worked, without imparting significant cold work to the proximal tip portion, to provide linear elastic properties within the distal tip portion, while the proximal tip portion maintains superelastic properties. The tip portion is ground or otherwise reduced in cross-sectional thickness after cold working of the distal tip portion, so as to provide a circular cross-section having a desired substantially constant diameter along both the distal tip portion and the proximal tip portion.
Abstract:
The disclosed subject matter describes systems and methods of electrospinning a fiber for a variety of applications. An exemplary embodiment includes a medical device application for delivering a therapeutic agent, such as a sclerosing agent, to the walls of a blood vessel to perform sclerotherapy. A method of fabricating a medical balloon comprises charging a polymer material with an electric voltage, dispensing the charged polymeric material through a nozzle, collecting the charged polymeric material on a grounded mandrel, wherein the mandrel includes a tubular body having a plurality of openings extending through the tubular body, and forming an electrospun medical balloon defined by a body having a varied thickness.
Abstract:
A method of loading a composition into a structural element of a stent, where the structural element is defined by a lumen and at least one opening to access the lumen. The composition may comprise a therapeutic agent, and wherein at a temperature of 30° C. and at one atmosphere, the composition may be in a solid state or semi-solid state.
Abstract:
A braided polymeric scaffold, made at least in part from a bioresorbable material is deployed on a catheter that uses a push-pull mechanism to deploy the scaffold. A drug coating is disposed on the scaffold. A plurality of scaffold segments on a catheter is also disclosed.
Abstract:
A medical device-includes a scaffold crimped to a catheter having an expansion balloon. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes inflating the delivery balloon during a diameter reduction to improve scaffold retention and maintaining an inflated balloon during the diameter reduction and prior and subsequent dwell periods.
Abstract:
An expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. In one aspect, the stent includes a butterfly pattern to which connecting links are attached. In another aspect, the stent embodies a non-directional structure. One embodiment is a stent in which one or both ends are more flexible than the center portion. Also, the stent may have a non-uniform drug coating. Another embodiment relates to a stent having ends that are more radiopaque than the center portion.
Abstract:
A method to reduce or minimize the reduction in molecular weight of a stent during processing is disclosed. The stent has a scaffolding including a polymer formulation comprising PLLA and polymandelide. The polymandelide reduces the molecular weight drop during processing, particularly during sterilization. The stent scaffolding can further include one or more additional stabilizing agents that additionally reduce the molecular weight drop during processing.
Abstract:
Methods of treating congenital heart defects in infants and children with bioabsorbable polymer stents are described. The treatments reduce or eliminate the adverse affects of congenital heart defects or may be palliative.