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.

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.

The invention is an integrally blow-moulded bag-in-container and preform for making it. The bag-in-container has an inner layer forming the bag and an outer layer forming the container, and a mouth fluidly connecting the volume defined by the bag to the atmosphere. The container further has at least one interface vent fluidly connecting the interface between inner and outer layers to the atmosphere, wherein the at least one vent runs parallel to the interface between inner and outer layers and opens to the atmosphere at a location adjacent to, and oriented coaxially with the bag-in-container's mouth. Processes for manufacturing a preform and a bag-in-container as defined above are defined too.

A medical device includes a balloon expanded scaffold crimped to a catheter having a balloon. The scaffold has a network of rings formed by struts connected at crowns and links connecting adjacent rings. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes using protective polymer sheaths or sheets during crimping, and adjusting the sheaths or sheets during the crimping to avoid or minimize interference between the polymer material and scaffold struts as the scaffold is reduced in size.

A medical device includes a balloon expanded scaffold crimped to a catheter having a balloon. The scaffold has a network of rings formed by struts connected at crowns and links connecting adjacent rings. The scaffold is crimped to the balloon by a process that includes using protective polymer sheaths or sheets during crimping, and adjusting the sheaths or sheets during the crimping to avoid or minimize interference between the polymer material and scaffold struts as the scaffold is reduced in size.

Provided are: a polyglycolic acid (PGA) solidification- and extrusion-molded article that is formed from a resin material containing PGA, the PGA having a weight average molecular weight of 100,000 to 300,000 and a melt viscosity (temperature: 270 C.; shearing speed: 120 sec.sup.1) of 100 to 2,000 Pa.Math.s, and that has a tensile strength at a temperature of 150 C. of 20 to 200 MPa; a downhole tool or component thereof for drilling and completion of petroleum recovery formed by machining the solidification- and extrusion-molded article; an isolation plug provided with the component; an isolation plug mandrel; and a method for manufacturing the PGA solidification- and extrusion-molded article and a method for manufacturing the downhole tool or component thereof that comprise the steps of: supplying the resin material to an extruder (preferably from a fixed-quantity feeder); and after solidification- and extrusion-molding, pressurizing the solidification- and extrusion-molded article, and drawing the same while applying back pressure thereto in a direction of a forming die to suppress the expansion of the solidified and extruded matter.

There is provided a method of producing a bioactive polymer filament, the method comprising: providing a base polymer powder and a bioactive copolymer; mixing the base polymer powder with the bioactive copolymer to obtain a mixture; and extruding a bioactive polymer filament from the mixture at an extrusion temperature profile that is based on a predetermined melt/softening temperature and a predetermined onset degradation temperature of the bioactive polymer; and performing a post-extrusion thermal analysis on the extended bioactive polymer filament to assess onset degradation of the bioactive copolymer in the filament. There is also provided a bioactive polymer filament obtained from said method and a fused filament fabrication (FFF) or fused deposition modelling (FDM) based three-dimensional printing method.

A microprotrusion device (1A) according to the present invention includes a needle-like and hollow first protrusion portion (3) that is formed so as to protrude from one surface (2a) of a substrate sheet (2) and a hollow second protrusion portion (4) that is formed so as to protrude from a vicinity of the first protrusion portion (3) on the one surface (2a) of the substrate sheet (2) and has a protrusion height lower than that of the first protrusion portion (3). The first protrusion portion (3) has an opening at its tip end portion, and a hollow portion (30) of the first protrusion portion (3) is in communication with the outside via the opening portion (31). The opening portion (31) is formed at the tip end of the first protrusion portion (3).

A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more portions between which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.

A suture and a suture retainer are positioned relative to body tissue. Ultrasonic vibratory energy is utilized to heat the suture retainer and effect a bonding of portions of the suture retainer to each other and/or to the suture. Portions of the body tissue may be pressed into linear apposition with each other and held in place by cooperation between the suture and the suture retainer. The suture retainer may include one or more portions between which the suture extends. The suture retainer may include sections which have surface areas which are bonded together. If desired, the suture may be wrapped around one of the sections of the suture retainer. The suture retainer may be formed with a recess in which the suture is received. If desired, the suture retainer may be omitted and the sections of the suture bonded to each other.