| abstract |
A process is disclosed for manufacturing a prothesis for intraluminal implantation. The prosthesis is formed with a flexible tubular interbraided structure of metal or polymeric monofilaments, and polymeric multifilament yarns, and can be elastically deformed to reduce its diameter through axial elongation. The monofilaments and multifilament yarns are wound on a mandrel arranged in axially spaced apart helices, concentric on a common central axis of the prosthesis. The monofilaments are selectively shaped before their interbraiding with the multifilament yarns, either by an age-hardening or other heat-setting stage while wound on a mandrel, or by a cold-working stage that controllably plastically deforms the strands. The shaped structural strands cooperate to impart to the prosthesis its nominal shape and resilience. The textile strands are interbraided with the structural strands to provide a sheeting that occupies interstices between adjacent structural strands, to reduce permeability and thereby enhance the utility of the prosthesis as a vascular graft. An alternative process employs elastically and plastically deformable structural strands, selectively plastically deformed by cold-working as they are moved toward a station for interbraiding with textile strands to form the prosthesis. |