Patent ID: 7744587

Claim:
A medical device including a reinforcing member, the medical device formed by the following process: providing one or more metallic filaments adapted and configured to be made into the reinforcing member for the medical device, the one or more metallic filaments including a metallic surface having a portion with an initial surface area, wherein the reinforcing member is a braid; treating at least the portion of the surface of the one or more metallic filaments to provide a final surface area that is greater than the initial surface area; creating the reinforcing member using the one or more metallic filaments; and incorporating the reinforcing member into the construction of the medical device, wherein the one or more metallic filaments each have a thickness and wherein the portion extends along each of the one or more metallic filaments for a length that is at least twice the thickness of the filament and wherein the portion encircles the metallic filament for the length, wherein the portion has a profile that is constant along the length, wherein other structural elements that have not undergone the treating step are also used in creating the braid.