May 17, 2010
In this SMST-2010 presentation, Jennifer presents data comparing the corrosion and biocompatibility performance of wire formed and laser cut stents having virtually identical starting geometry. Both groups were electropolished to remove <5%, <10%, and <25% material. Results indicate that the corrosion resistance increases with the amount material removal, and less material removal is required for wire formed stents to achieve comparable performance. Read on for more… Read more »
May 14, 2003
By the year 2003, Nitinol stents played a dominant role in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. A great variety of designs had been launched into clinical service, some more successfully than others. This review was authored by the familiar NDC trio of Dieter Stoeckel, Alan Pelton, and Tom Duerig, and published in European Radiology. It’s just about tied for for first place in the prestigious race for most popular download from Nitinol.com! This paper presents some of the earliest data to describe nickel ion release for various surface conditions, including mechanically polished, electropolished, and passivated surfaces, and compared Nitinol with stainless steel and MP35N. The conclusions of this study reinforce what we know well today: the corrosion and biocompatibility performance of Nitnol is excellent when processed properly, but can be compromised if improper processes are applied. The paper presents a visual survey of various stent designs from 2003, including laser cut, wire formed, and sheet welded varities. It also discusses the concepts of radial resistive force (RRF) and chronic outward force (COF), as well as radiopacity enhancments such as tantalum crimps and rivets. Still a good read for anyone interested in Nitinol stent design. Read more »
