Patent ID: 6395208
Filing Date: 2002-05-28
Classification: A61L,A61M,B29C,B29K,B29L,B32B

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a radially expandable device having a shaped body, the method comprising the steps of:forming a tube of expanded fluoropolymer material having an initial diameter and microporous through-pores, the tube having an inlet; applying a radial expansion force to the tube through the inlet to expand the tube from the initial diameter to a second diameter and to alter the geometry of the microporous through-pores to thereby form the shaped body, the shaped body having a fine nodal structure conducive to radial expansion by a radial deployment force; and removing the expansion force, wherein the shaped body is radially expandable from a reduced diameter configuration to the second diameter upon application of the radial deployment force from a deployment mechanism within the shaped body as fluid permeates through the microporous through-pores.