Medical devices and method for making the same

Abstract

Medical devices, such as stents, and methods of the devices are described.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of forming a stent, comprising:
 providing an alloy including Ti of about 20 weight percent or more and at least one additive selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ta and Mo by:   contacting solid aliquots of a titanium component selected from Ti or a Ti-containing alloy, and the additive,   heating the aliquot after the contacting,   mechanically working the aliquots after contacting by forging, extrusion, drawing or rolling,   melting the aliquots,   forming a first mass,   forming a tube including the alloy, and   incorporating the tube into a stent.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the contacting includes providing a body composed of the titanium component or the additive including voids and inserting into the voids the additive or titanium component. 
     
     
         25 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23  comprising:
 after forming the first mass, contacting the first mass with further additive, melting the first mass in contact with the further aliquot, and forming a second mass having a greater amount of additive. 
 
     
     
         33 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method of forming a medical device, comprising:
 providing a metal alloy of multiple components of elements or alloys, including a first component and a second component having a melting point difference of about 150° C. or more by contacting solid aliquots of the first component and the second component,   heating and/or mechanically working the aliquots after contacting to form a first mass,   melting the first mass,   forming a second mass from the first mass, and   incorporating the alloy into a medical device.   
     
     
         41 . A balloon-expandable medical stent, comprising:
 a generally tubular body including an alloy comprising:
 40 weight percent or more of Ta; 
 20 weight percent or more of Ti; and 
 10 weight percent or more of Zr. 
   
     
     
         42 . The stent of  claim 41 , wherein the alloy having a yield strength of about 45 ksi or more, a magnetic susceptibility of about +1 or less, and a mass absorption coefficient of about 1.9 cm2/g or more. 
     
     
         43 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the alloy has a UTS of about 90 ksi or more and the percent tensile elongation is about 40 or more. 
     
     
         44 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the yield strength is about 50 ksi or greater, the percent strength to peak load is about 30 or greater, the UTS is about 90 ksi or greater, and the percent strength to fracture is about 40 or greater. 
     
     
         45 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the magnetic susceptibility is about 3.5×10-3 or less. 
     
     
         46 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the mass absorption coefficient is about 2.9 cm2/g or less. 
     
     
         47 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the alloy includes about 50 weight percent Ti or greater. 
     
     
         48 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the alloy includes about 3 weight percent or more of Mo. 
     
     
         49 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the alloy includes about 20 weight percent or less of Mo. 
     
     
         50 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the alloy is Ti—Ta—Zr, or Ti—Ta—Zr—Mo. 
     
     
         51 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the alloy is of CP titanium, Ti-6Al-4V, or Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloyed with 40 to 70 weight percent of Ta. 
     
     
         52 . The stent of  claim 51  where the alloy includes 5 to 20 weight percent of Mo. 
     
     
         53 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the tubular body includes wall portions having a thickness of about 0.0015 inch to about 0.0150 inch. 
     
     
         54 . The stent of  claim 41  wherein the tubular body includes a therapeutic agent. 
     
     
         55 . The stent of  claim 41 , wherein the alloy includes less than 10 percent of a brittle phase. 
     
     
         56 . The stent of  claim 41 , wherein the alloy included less than 3 percent of a brittle phase.