Biodegradable metallic micro-structures.

Abstract

Bioresorbable medical devices, such as stents, scaffolds and other medical devices implantable in human and animal bodies, in which galvanic couples are formed. The devices include bioresorbable amalgamates, wires, laminates, layered structures or combinations thereof. Also, methods of manufacturing the devices, including laminating, folding, 110 braiding, weaving, crocheting or cold spraying of materials with different galvanic potentials Also, machining of amalgamated materials using electrical discharge machining.

1 . A bioresorbable stent, comprising:
 an anodic material in filament form and a cathodic material in filament form, the anodic and cathodic materials being metallic and forming a galvanic couple, the anodic and cathodic materials being distributed in the stent so that the anodic and cathodic materials contact each other at a plurality of junctions;   wherein bioresorption of the stent is promoted by galvanic corrosion between the anodic and cathodic materials at the junctions.   
     
     
         2 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one anodic filament made of the anodic material and at least one cathodic filament made of the cathodic material are braided together in a wire, the wire including at least some of the plurality of junctions. 
     
     
         3 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the anodic and cathodic filaments are also braided with a carrier filament. 
     
     
         4 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the carrier filament is metallic. 
     
     
         5 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the carrier filament is made of a material that differs from the anodic and cathodic materials. 
     
     
         6 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the anodic and cathodic filaments have different pitches relative to the wire. 
     
     
         7 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the bioresorbable stent is a wire stent made of one or more of the wires. 
     
     
         8 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of anodic filament segments made of the anodic material and a plurality of cathodic filament segments made of the cathodic material are weaved together in a fabric, the fabric including at least some of the plurality of junctions. 
     
     
         9 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the anodic filament segments are substantially parallel to each other in the fabric and the cathodic filament segments are substantially parallel to each other in the fabric, the anodic filament segment being substantially perpendicular to the cathodic filament segments. 
     
     
         10 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of the anodic and cathodic materials forms a base grid defining a plurality of grid apertures and another one of the anodic and cathodic materials is crocheted into the base grid through the apertures. 
     
     
         11 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the cathodic and anodic materials are in beaded filament form. 
     
     
         12 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 11 , wherein both the cathodic and anodic materials are in beaded filament form. 
     
     
         13 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cathodic and anodic filaments are under tension and the junctions are created due to normal forces between the filaments at locations where the filaments intersect. 
     
     
         14 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cathodic and anodic materials are sintered to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the anodic material is selected from the group consisting of iron, iron alloys, mild steel and vanadium and the cathodic material is selected from the group consisting of cobalt-chromium alloys, stainless steel, mild steel, tantalum, titanium and platinum-steels. 
     
     
         16 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the anodic material and cathodic material are selected from the group of couples consisting of iron/stainless steel, two different mild steels and iron/tantalum. 
     
     
         17 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the cathodic and anodic materials have different diameters. 
     
     
         18 . The bioresorbable stent as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a total length of the anodic material in the bioresorbable stent differs from a total length of the cathodic material in the bioresorbable stent. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of manufacturing a bioresorbable wire, the method comprising braiding together at least two metallic filaments having different galvanic potentials. 
     
     
         30 . The method as defined in  claim 29 , wherein the two filaments are different mild steels. 
     
     
         31 .- 65 . (canceled)