RADIALLY EXPANDABLE POLYTETRAFLUOROETHYLENE
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Extruded, stretched, sintered tubular PTPE materials are produced which are suited for use in the medical field as liners and covers for expandable stents. The PTFE materials have an unusually low REC (Radial Expansion Coefficient) and RER (Radial Expansion Ratio).
-
Citations
61 Claims
-
1-41. -41. (canceled)
-
42. A method of making a liner for an expandable stent, comprising:
-
extruding a polytetrafluoroethylene tube having a first length; stretching the extruded tube to a second length greater than the first length; sintering the stretched tube while restrained from longitudinal contraction; dilating the sintered stretched tube from a first diameter to a second diameter larger than the first diameter; and sintering the dilated tube while unrestrained to permit radial and longitudinal contraction. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. A method of making an endoluminal device, comprising:
-
providing an expandable stent; forming a liner, comprising; extruding a polytetrafluoroethylene tube having a first length; stretching the extruded tube to a second length greater than the first length; sintering the stretched tube while restrained from longitudinal contraction; dilating the sintered stretched tube from a first diameter to a second diameter larger than the first diameter; sintering the dilated tube while unrestrained to permit radial and longitudinal contraction; and stretching the tube following the second sintering step to a length greater than the first length; and associating the liner with the stent. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
-
57. A method of making a polytetrafluoroethylene product, comprising:
-
extruding a polytetrafluoroethylene tube having a first length; stretching the extruded tube to a second length greater than the first length; sintering the stretched tube while restrained from longitudinal contraction; dilating the sintered stretched tube from a first diameter to a second diameter larger than the first diameter; sintering the dilated tube while unrestrained to substantially contract the tube to the first length and the first diameter; and stretching the contracted tube to a third length greater than the first length. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61)
-
Specification