Niobium-Zirconium Alloy for medical devices or their parts

Abstract

A medical implant or device which is at least partially fabricated from a metal alloy consisting essentially of (a) 98.85-99.15 weight percent Niobium, (b) 0.85-1.15% weight percent Zirconium.

1 . A medical implant or device at least partially fabricated from a metal alloy consisting essentially of 
 (a) 98.85-99.15 weight percent Niobium,    (b) 0.85-1.15% weight percent Zirconium.    
     
     
         2 . A medical implant or device according to  claim 1  wherein said metal alloy consists essentially of 
 (a) 99.02-99.15 weight percent Niobium,    (b) 0.85-0.98% weight percent Zirconium.    
     
     
         3 . A medical implant or device according to  claim 1  wherein said metal alloy consists essentially of 
 (a)  99 . 05 -99.15 weight percent Niobium,    (b) 0.85-0.95% weight percent Zirconium.    
     
     
         4 . A medical device according to any one of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the medical device is a minimal-invasive device, in particular a catheter or a guide wire.  
     
     
         5 . A medical implant or device according to any one of the  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the medical implant is an intra-cavernous implant.  
     
     
         6 . A medical implant or device according to  claim 5 , wherein the medical implant is an intravascular implant.  
     
     
         7 . A medical implant according to  claim 6 , wherein the medical implant is a stent, a stent graft, a stent graft connector or a heart valve repair device.  
     
     
         8 . A stent according to  claim 7  which is composed of a single homogeneous, substantially non-decomposing tubing made from the metal alloy according of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         9 . A stent according to  claim 8  which is composed of a single homogeneous substantially non-decomposing sheet made from the metal alloy according of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         10 . A medical implant or device according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the surface of the metal alloy is passivated by oxidation or nitridization.  
     
     
         11 . A medical implant or device according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the surface of the metal alloy is coated with iridium oxide by vapor deposition.  
     
     
         12 . A medical implant or device according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the surface of the metal alloy is electropolished, mechanically polished, micro blasted, roughened or sintered.  
     
     
         13 . A medical implant or device according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the surface of the metal alloy is coated with a polymer, a blend of polymers, a metal, a blend of metals, a ceramic and/or biomolecules, in particular peptides, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and/or nucleic acids.  
     
     
         14 . A medical implant or device according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , wherein the surface of the metal alloy is coated with stem cells and/or a bioactive substance, in particular drugs, antibiotics, growth factors, anti-inflammatory agents and/or anti-thrombogenic agents.