MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR POLYMERIC STENTS
First Claim
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16. A method of fabricating a stent comprising:
- forming a polymer tube made of a biodegradable polymer, wherein the biodegradable polymer of the formed tube is amorphous or substantially amorphous;
processing the tube to increase the crystallinity of the biodegradable polymer from amorphous or substantially amorphous to between 35% and 55%;
cutting a pattern in the processed tube to form a cylindrically-shaped scaffold, wherein the scaffold includes a pattern of interconnecting struts,wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of cylindrical rings of struts and longitudinal linking struts connecting the rings,wherein the rings include bending elements including struts that flex inward to allow crimping of the scaffold and flex outward to allow expansion of the scaffold,wherein the scaffold is radially expandable in a blood vessel of a body and has adequate radial strength to hold open the blood vessel.
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Abstract
Methods and systems of fabricating a polymeric stent are disclosed herein.
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Citations
21 Claims
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16. A method of fabricating a stent comprising:
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forming a polymer tube made of a biodegradable polymer, wherein the biodegradable polymer of the formed tube is amorphous or substantially amorphous; processing the tube to increase the crystallinity of the biodegradable polymer from amorphous or substantially amorphous to between 35% and 55%; cutting a pattern in the processed tube to form a cylindrically-shaped scaffold, wherein the scaffold includes a pattern of interconnecting struts, wherein the pattern comprises a plurality of cylindrical rings of struts and longitudinal linking struts connecting the rings, wherein the rings include bending elements including struts that flex inward to allow crimping of the scaffold and flex outward to allow expansion of the scaffold, wherein the scaffold is radially expandable in a blood vessel of a body and has adequate radial strength to hold open the blood vessel. - View Dependent Claims (1, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification