초록 ▼

A medical device such as a stent, surgical staple, bone anchoring device or bone fixation device, intended to be deployed within the body, composes a shape memory alloy (SMA) portion with an austenitic and unaustenitic state with different memorized configurations in each of these states. The SMA wh

A medical device such as a stent, surgical staple, bone anchoring device or bone fixation device, intended to be deployed within the body, composes a shape memory alloy (SMA) portion with an austenitic and unaustenitic state with different memorized configurations in each of these states. The SMA which is initially in an initial configuration in which it can be placed into position within the body, can be mechanically deformed into an operational configuration in which it remains deployed within the body.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A medical device for deployment in a body of an individual, comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) portion having an austenitic and a martensitic state, with an austenitic memorized configuration and a martensitic memorized configuration at these states, respectively, and being tran

[ We claim:] [1.] A medical device for deployment in a body of an individual, comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) portion having an austenitic and a martensitic state, with an austenitic memorized configuration and a martensitic memorized configuration at these states, respectively, and being transformable between the martensitic state to the austenitic state by an austenitic transformation occurring at an austenitic transformation temperature, and from the austenitic state to the martensitic state by a martensitic transformation occurring at a martensitic transformation temperature, said SMA portion being capable of acquiring at least two working configurations stable at Physiological body temperature T.sub.B, said two working configurations being an initial configuration and an operational configuration to be assumed by it when deployed within the body by mechanical deformation of its initial configuration, said initial configuration is either a memorized austenitic configuration or a martensitic configuration assumed by the SMA portion by a mechanical deformation; the SMA portion in said operational configuration is either in a martensitic state and having a memorized austenitic configuration to which it transforms when heated to a temperature, equal or above the austenitic transformation temperature, which is above said body temperature, or is in an austenitic state, to which it transformed during the mechanical deformation, said memorized martensitic configuration being essentially close to the operational configuration of said SMA portion.