Biodegradable magnesium alloy implantable medical devices are protected to delay onset of corrosion, and thus biodegradability, or to corrode more uniformly. The protection allows for extended effective use of the devices while maintaining biodegradability. Examples of protective coatings include conversion coatings that at least partially remove exposed second phases from a surface of the magnesium alloy and coatings that provide a barrier between water and the surface of the magnesium alloy.

The present invention relates to a biodegradable alloy of Formula (I): Mg—Zn—X, wherein X represents —Ca—Mn or —Dy—Sr, wherein Zn is about 0.1 wt % to about 3.0 wt %, Dy is about 0.1 wt % to about 0.7 wt %, Sr is about 0.1 wt % to about 0.9 wt %, Ca is about 0.1 wt % to about 1.5 wt %, Mn is about 0.1 wt % to about 0.9 wt % and Mg is balance with impurities. The present invention further relates to a method for producing alloys, wherein the method comprises: (a) placing alloy components in a crucible, wherein the alloy components are placed in the crucible in a multilayer arrangement; (b) melting the alloy components at about 700° C. to about 850° C.; (c) stirring the melt of step (b) at about 400 rpm to about 500 rpm; (d) atomizing the melt of step (c) into millimeter size droplets using jets of inert gas; and (e) cooling and depositing the atomized alloy melt to obtain an ingot.

Shape memory alloys are used in aerospace structures, orthodontics, cardiovascular prosthetic devices, sensors and controllers, and many other engineering, technology, science, and other fields. The methods are described in the case of a temporary heart assist pump to illustrate the concepts, but the method applies to many other fields. The properties of shape memory alloys are used to fold or collapse and implant in the human body a device without breaking the device as it reaches body temperature or without reaching permanent plastic deformation. The properties of nitinol are also used to describe intended explantation of the device, at body temperature, from the body without breaking it. Such planned explantation may be needed in cases where the device is designed for temporary use, such as mechanical circulatory support devices intended for temporary use and then removal of all components of the device from the body. The same method can be used for devices that have not been initially designed for removal, such as stents or valves, that must later be explanted for reasons unanticipated when they were installed. The methods ensure that the devices stay within stress-strain-temperature conditions so they remain elastic, or under the upper stress plateau, or remain plastic, but always under the breaking strain, of shape memory alloys at: room or environmental conditions; cooler than environmental conditions; and at a higher temperature, or body temperature. The methods described may also be applied to other industrial applications, where shape memory alloys may be installed and removed at different temperatures. Applications in other industries, include aerospace, civil structures, mechanical structures are contemplated.

Biodegradable magnesium alloy implantable medical devices are protected to delay onset of corrosion, and thus biodegradability, or to corrode more uniformly. The protection allows for extended effective use of the devices while maintaining biodegradability. Examples of protective coatings include conversion coatings that at least partially remove exposed second phases from a surface of the magnesium alloy and coatings that provide a barrier between water and the surface of the magnesium alloy.

A multi-element, vascular stent may be used to maintain or enhance patency of a blood vessel. The stent may be used in peripheral blood vessels, which may be long and/or tortuous. By using multiple, separate stent elements that are balloon expandable, the multi-element stent may be stronger than a traditional self-expanding stent but may also be more flexible, due to its multiple-element configuration, than a traditional balloon-expandable stent. The distance between stent elements may be based on characteristics of the stent and the target vessel location such that the stent elements do not touch one another during skeletal movement. Thus, the multi-element, vascular stent described herein may be particularly advantageous for treating long lesions in tortuous peripheral blood vessels.

An intraluminal endoprosthesis has a biodegradable metallic supporting structure and a biodegradable sleeve surrounding the supporting structure. The sleeve includes fibres applied to the outer side of the supporting structure. The sleeve can be formed from fibres that each have a polymer core and a hydrogel casing. The sleeve can the sleeve be formed from a fibre mixture of polymer fibres and hydrogel fibres.

A deployable occlusion device for filling an aneurysm. The occlusion device includes a support structure, for example a wire or otherwise elongate structure. The occlusion device also includes a mesh component having a porosity. The mesh component has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the mesh component is attached to the support structure and the second end portion of the mesh component is a free end. The mesh component extends from the support structure.

In one embodiment, a spinal fixation rod includes a core and an outer layer. The core extends along a central axis from a first end to a second end and has a length from the first end to the second end sufficient to span two or more adjacent vertebral bodies. The core comprises molybdenum rhenium. The outer layer envelops at least a portion of the core and comprises a biocompatible outer layer material other than molybdenum rhenium.

An intravascular stent and method of making an intervascular stent having a hybrid pattern a. The hybrid pattern comprises a plurality of circumferentially self-expansible members comprising a plurality of interconnected, geometrically deformable closed cells, adjacent self-expansible members interconnected by a plurality of bridge members linking a first interconnection between two closed cells in a first self-expansible member to a second interconnection between two closed cells in a second self-expansible member, wherein the second interconnection is circumferentially offset and non-adjacent to the first interconnection.

The invention described herein relates to telescoping stents. The embodiments described herein allow for adequate securement to, accommodation for movement by, and prevention of in of tubular organs or hollow areas of the body. Certain embodiments relate to telescoping stents with loop interlocking mechanisms. Further embodiments relate to telescoping stents with ball-in-groove interlocking mechanisms.