Polymeric stents having fracture toughness and resistance to recoil after deployment are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such stents. Improvements to mechanical characteristics and other improvements may be achieved by having polymer chains within individual stent struts oriented in a direction that is closer to or in line with the axis of the individual stent struts. The struts are connected to each other by hinge elements that are configured to bend during crimping and deployment of the stent. Ring struts form ring structures. A ring structure can have an overall curvilinear length from about 12 mm to about 15 mm.

The present invention concerns a film (1), which contains at least one inner layer (3, 4, 5) and two outer layers (2, 6) enclosing at least one inner layer (3, 4, 5) where the, at least one, inner layer (3, 4, 5) contains a polymer A in a quantity from 70 to 100 wt. %, preferably 80 to 99 wt. % and especially preferably from 90 to 99 wt. %, relative to the total weight of the inner layer (3, 4, 5), which is characterized by special interesting properties, where the outer layers (2, 6) contain a mixture of polymer A and a polymer B, where polymer B is selected from the group consisting of low-density polyethylenes, said film (1) having a thickness from 30 to 70 m, preferably 35 to 60 m and especially 40 to 55 and an elastic restoring capacity of more than 95% at an elongation of 55%. The present invention also concerns a process for the production of a film, the use of the wealth. As a stretch-sleeve up film and articles provided with the oil of the invention, such as packaging. The present disclosure is directed to a stretch-sleeve film and articles including the stretch-sleeve film. The stretch-sleeve film includes at least three layers including two skin layers and a core layer. The core layer includes at least 75 wt % of an ethylene/a-olefin copolymer (A) characterized by (i) a density from 0.890 g/cc to 0.920 g/cc; (ii) a Mw/Mn from 2.0 to 4.0; (iii) a ZSVR less than 6.0; and (iv) a CDC from 85 to 150. At least one skin layer includes a polymeric material selected from the ethylene/a-olefin copolymer (A), a low density polyethylene, a medium density polyethylene, and combinations thereof. The stretch-sleeve film has an elastic recovery at 55% stretch of at least 95%.

Bioresorbable polymeric tubes suitable for use in a stent have been produced by a using a die drawing technique, comprising: deforming an orientable, thermoplastic polymer tubing (4) in the solid phase by drawing it over a mandrel (1) and/or through a die (3), where the mandrel (1) has a lead end and an exit end and the die (3) has an entry side and an exit side, wherein a drawing mechanism applies a drawing tension to the tubing (4) from the exit end of the mandrel (1) and/or the exit side of the die (3), said tension being insufficient to cause tensile failure of the tubing but sufficient to deform the tubing, thereby drawing the tubing over the mandrel (1) and/or through the die (3) in the solid phase to induce uniaxial or biaxial orientation of the polymer; and collecting the deformed tubing from the exit end of the mandrel (1) and/or the exit side of the die (3).

Bioresorbable polymeric tubes suitable for use in a stent have been produced by a using a die drawing technique, comprising: deforming an orientable, thermoplastic polymer tubing (4) in the solid phase by drawing it over a mandrel (1) and/or through a die (3), where the mandrel (1) has a lead end and an exit end and the die (3) has an entry side and an exit side, wherein a drawing mechanism applies a drawing tension to the tubing (4) from the exit end of the mandrel (1) and/or the exit side of the die (3), said tension being insufficient to cause tensile failure of the tubing but sufficient to deform the tubing, thereby drawing the tubing over the mandrel (1) and/or through the die (3) in the solid phase to induce uniaxial or biaxial orientation of the polymer; and collecting the deformed tubing from the exit end of the mandrel (1) and/or the exit side of the die (3).

Provided are methods and systems for manufacturing and using heat-shrink elastomeric. An example method of manufacturing a heat-shrink elastomeric element comprises providing a thermoplastic elastomeric element having a first shape; modifying the thermoplastic elastomeric element to produce a thermoset elastomeric element having the first shape; heating the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature of at least the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element; adjusting the first shape of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce a second shape with at least one dimension greater than that of the first shape; and cooling the thermoset elastomeric element to a temperature below that of the glass transition temperature of the thermoset elastomeric element to produce the heat-shrink elastomeric element.

A protective textile sleeve includes a braided, tubular wall extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The wall has a decreased length, increased diameter first state and an increased length, decreased diameter second state. Heat-set, braided yarns within the wall impart a bias on the wall, wherein the bias causes the first and second states to be bi-stable and self-sustaining.

A protective textile sleeve includes a braided, tubular wall extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The wall has a decreased length, increased diameter first state and an increased length, decreased diameter second state. Heat-set, braided yarns within the wall impart a bias on the wall, wherein the bias causes the first and second states to be bi-stable and self-sustaining.

A textile sleeve and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes a braided, tubular wall extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The wall has a decreased length, increased cross-sectional area first state and an increased length, decreased cross-sectional area second state. Heat-set, yarns within the wall impart a bias on the wall, wherein the bias causes the wall to remain in each of the first and second states absent an externally applied force.

A textile sleeve and method of construction thereof is provided. The sleeve includes a braided, tubular wall extending lengthwise along a central longitudinal axis between opposite ends. The wall has a decreased length, increased cross-sectional area first state and an increased length, decreased cross-sectional area second state. Heat-set, yarns within the wall impart a bias on the wall, wherein the bias causes the wall to remain in each of the first and second states absent an externally applied force.

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.