Stent fabrication via tubular casting processes

• Main Authors: WANG LIWEI, RAMZIPOOR KAMAL, CHIA ALFRED N. K
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.06.2012
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR TOILET PURPOSES; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; PROSTHESES; SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS, SLAG, OR MIXTURESCONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

Tubular casting processes, such as dip-coating, may be used to form substrates from polymeric solutions which may be used to fabricate implantable devices such as stents. The polymeric substrates may have multiple layers which retain the inherent properties of their starting materials and which are sufficiently ductile to prevent brittle fracture. Parameters such as the number of times the mandrel is immersed, the duration of time of each immersion within the solution, as well as the delay time between each immersion or the drying or curing time between dips and withdrawal rates of the mandrel from the solution may each be controlled to result in the desired mechanical characteristics. Additional post-processing may also be utilized to further increase strength of the substrate or to alter its shape.