Laser polishing of medical devices
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorAiden Flanagan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A desired portion of a stent may be polished by irradiating at least a portion of the surface of the stent substrate with a laser beam from the laser at a wavelength absorbed by the stent substrate to cause a controlled level of melting of the surface of the stent substrate and allowing the substrate material to solidify.
Claims36
A method of polishing at least a portion of a stent substrate comprising the steps of:
- providing a stent substrate;
- providing a laser operating at a wavelength absorbable by the stent substrate;
- and
- irradiating at least a portion of the surface of the stent substrate with a laser beam from the laser at a wavelength absorbed by the stent substrate to cause a controlled level of melting of the surface of the stent substrate;
- and
- allowing the substrate material to solidify.
A method of polishing at least a portion of a stent substrate comprising the steps of:
- providing a stent substrate;
- providing a laser operating at a wavelength absorbable by the stent substrate;
- directing a laser beam output from the laser at a portion of the stent substrate, the laser beam characterized by a fluence of between about 1 J/cm2 and 5000 J/cm2, wherein the wavelength of the laser beam absorbed by the stent substate causes a controlled level of melting of the surface of the stent substrate.
A method of polishing at least a portion of a stent substrate comprising the steps of:
- providing a stent substrate;
- providing a laser operating at a wavelength absorbable by the stent substrate;
- directing a laser beam output from the laser at a portion of the stent substrate, the laser beam melting a surface layer of the stent substrate to a depth of no greater than 5 percent of the thickness of the stent substrate in the portion of the stent substrate impinged by the laser beam.
A method of polishing at least a portion of a medical guidewire for use with a catheter comprising the steps of:
- providing a medical guidewire;
- providing a laser;
- and
- irradiating the surface of the guidewire with a beam of radiation from the laser at a wavelength absorbed by the guidewire to cause a controlled level of melting of the surface of the guidewire in the portion of the guidewire impinged by the laser beam;
- and
- allowing the surface of the guidewire to solidify.
A method of polishing at least a portion of a guidewire comprising the steps of:
- providing a guidewire;
- providing a laser operating at a wavelength absorbable by the guidewire;
- directing a laser beam output from the laser at a portion of the guidewire, the laser beam melting a surface layer of the guidewire to a depth of no greater than 5 percent of the thickness of the guidewire in the portion of the guidewire impinged by the laser beam.
A method of polishing at least a portion of a component for use with a catheter system comprising the steps of:
- providing the component for use with a catheter system;
- providing a laser operating at a wavelength absorbable by the component for use with a catheter system;
- directing a laser beam output from the laser at a portion of the component for use with a catheter system, the laser beam melting a surface layer of the component for use with catheter system to a depth of no greater than 5 percent of the thickness of the component in the portion of the component impinged by the laser beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.