Patent ID: 10299944

Abstract:
Bioresorbable polymeric tubes suitable for use in a stent have been produced by a using a die drawing technique, comprising: —deforming an orientable, thermoplastic polymer tubing (4) in the solid phase by drawing it over a mandrel (1) and/or through a die (3), where the mandrel (1) has a lead end and an exit end and the die (3) has an entry side and an exit side, wherein a drawing mechanism applies a drawing tension to the tubing (4) from the exit end of the mandrel (1) and/or the exit side of the die (3), said tension being insufficient to cause tensile failure of the tubing but sufficient to deform the tubing, thereby drawing the tubing over the mandrel (1) and/or through the die (3) in the solid phase to induce uniaxial or biaxial orientation of the polymer; and —collecting the deformed tubing from the exit end of the mandrel (1) and/or the exit side of the die (3).