Patent ID: 6290721
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61L,A61M

Abstract:
A tubular prosthesis device for use within the body comprised at least in part of an elongated filament-form metal element adapted to be subjected to elastic deformation to enable the device to be forced into a characteristic deformed configuration during a stage of use and to elastically self-recover from said deformation when deformation forces are relieved, said filament-form metal element comprised of a core of a first metal of a first selected thickness and an intimately surrounding sheath of a second selected metal of a second thickness, said first metal being of a substantially higher radiopacity than that of said second metal, said second metal being substantially more elastic than said first metal, the metals in said filament-form metal element serving to enhance the radiopacity of said filament-form metal element to provide improved fluoroscopic or x-ray visualization of said filament-form metal element in said body while imparting sufficient elasticity to enable the filament-form metal element to elastically self-recover from said characteristic deformed configuration.