IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

Description

Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to medical devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to medical devices, such as intravascular implants.Background

[0002] The use of intravascular medical devices has become an effective method for treating many types of vascular disease. Intravascular medical devices such as stents, filters, thromboembolic capture devices, flow diverters, vaso-occlusive devices, collectively referred to herein as "medical devices" are often composed of a variety of biocompatible materials, including polymers (e.g., non-biodegradable and biodegradable plastics) and / or metals. Some of these medical devices are formed by one or more elongate members (e.g., wires, drawn-filled tubes, threads, filaments and the like) that are woven into a braid or mesh pattern. Such braided devices may be utilized for treating various types of vascular defects, such as aneurysms, and may be provided in a wide variety of respective delivery and deployed sizes and shapes; particularly, secondary shapes when the device is deployed in a targeted vasculature site. Some exemplary secondary shapes of braided devices include spherical, ovoid, flat ribbon, helical braided ribbon, or combinations thereof, suitable for the treatment of vascular defects. In general, a suitable intravascular implantable device is inserted into the vascular system of the patient and navigated through the vasculature to a targeted implantation site using known delivery systems and methods.

[0003] Medical devices can be made from shape memory or superelastic materials, such as shape memory metals (e.g., shape memory Nitinol) and polymers (e.g., polyurethane). Such shape memory embolic devices can be induced (e.g., by temperature, electrical or magnetic field or light) to take on a shape (e.g., a radially expanded shape) after delivery to a treatment site. Superelastic materials, such as superelastic Nitinol, take on a shape after delivery without the need for an inductive stimulus. Drug delivery medical devices can carry, and / or the surface of the device, can be coated with a bioactive or therapeutic agent (e.g., thrombosis inducing agent).

[0004] Various physical attributes of the medical devices can contribute directly to the success rate of the device. These physical attributes include radiopacity, hoop strength, radial force, column strength, flexibility and dimensions of the material used to form the device and the like. Cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) and stainless steel are commonly used to form stents. These materials are commonly used since such materials having a known history of safety, effectiveness and biocompatibility. These materials however have limited physical performance characteristics as to size, strength, weight, bendability, biostability and radiopacity.

[0005] Other commonly used materials include platinum, platinum and tungsten metal alloy, and Elgiloy. Known medical devices composed of platinum-tungsten alloy (Pt-W) are illustrated and described (by way of example) in U.S. Patent Nos. 6322576, 6458119, 7842054, 9198670 and 9597155 , and U.S. Publication No. 20070162108. However, these disclosures are either silent with respect to the specific percentage of platinum and tungsten in the metal alloy or they expressly disclose a preferred or desirable combination of the alloy having platinum (92%) and tungsten (8%) (i.e., Pt-8%wtW).

[0006] Due to higher modulus and mechanical strength, some more recent implantable devices including blood flow diversion stents are being made out of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys designed to have suitable radial force. However, the Co-Cr devices have undesirable properties, such as substantially higher magnetic susceptibility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) resulting in MR image artifact and poor radiopacity. For the known platinum-tungsten (Pt-W) alloys, up to 8% tungsten (W) has been alloyed to the platinum (Pt) to enhance mechanical strength, handling, and manufacturability. Alloying tungsten (W) greater than 8% is not generally considered because additional tungsten (W) in the platinum (Pt) matrix generally increases its brittleness, compromising the performance of the Pt-W alloy. Although commonly used Pt-8%wtW alloy has relatively low magnetic susceptibility of MRI and higher radiopacity than Co-Cr, the Pt-8%wtW alloy has been found to be not suitable for such flow diversion stents due to the low modulus of the alloy, which results in an undesirably low radial expansion force. In particular, the 8% tungsten (W) was added to the platinum (Pt) alloy to enhance mechanical strength, handling and manufacturability. However, adding more than 8% tungsten (W) has not been explored due to expected increased brittleness of the Pt-W alloy.

[0007] WO2004 / 022122 A2 discloses a stent including a molybdenum / rhenium alloy comprising between about 30% and 90%, and more preferably about 35% and 55% rhenium by weight.

[0008] WO 2019 / 014206 A1 discloses a medical device e.g. a stent including rhenium and tungsten i.e. an alloy comprises 1-40 wt% rhenium and 60-99 wt% tungsten and optionally one or more alloying agents such as tantalum, molybdenum, zirconium, hafnium or gold pref. a Re-W-Mo alloy which may contain Hf.

[0009] The technical problem lies in case of implantable medical devices insertable in a lumen having a small diameter while maintaining advantageous mechanical properties and reducing magnetic susceptibility demanded in such medical field.

[0010] The object of the present invention is to solve this problem.Summary

[0011] The scope of protection is defined by the claims.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] FIGS. 1A-1C are perspective, detailed and cross-sectional views of a braided stent / flow diverter constructed according to some embodiments; FIGS. 2A-2B are cross-sectional and perspective and view of an embolic coil (not according to the claimed invention) and FIGS. 3A-3F are perspective views of an intravascular device constructed according to some embodiments. FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an implantable medical device in accordance with some embodiments. FIG. 5 illustrates another example of an implantable medical device. Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments

[0013] For the following defined terms, these definitions shall be applied, unless a different definition is given in the claims or elsewhere in this specification.

[0014] All numeric values are herein assumed to be modified by the term "about," whether or not explicitly indicated. The term "about" generally refers to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited value (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances, the terms "about" may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure.

[0015] The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).

[0016] As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term "or" is generally employed in its sense including "and / or" unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

[0017] Various embodiments of the disclosed inventions are described hereinafter with reference to the figures. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, the relative scale of select elements may have been exaggerated for clarity, and elements of similar structures or functions are represented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be understood that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments, and are not intended as an exhaustive description of the disclosed inventions, or as a limitation on the scope thereof, which is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0018] In addition, the respective illustrated embodiments of the disclosed inventions need not have all of the depicted features, and a feature, aspect or advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment, but can be practiced in other embodiments, even if not so illustrated.Metal Alloy

[0019] FIGS. 1A-1C illustrate an exemplary braided embolic device in the form of a tubular braided stent and / or flow diverter 10, constructed according to some embodiments. FIG. 1A shows the braided stent 10 in a radially expanded delivered configuration, having a proximal portion 12, a distal portion 14 and a lumen 16 extending therebetween. The braided stent 10 is formed out of a plurality of elongate members 20 (e.g., wires, drawn-filled tubes, threads, filaments and the like) that are woven together. FIG. 1B is a two-dimensional plan view of a section of a wall 18 of the braided stent 10, showing that the elongate braid members 20 are woven in a standard repeating "one-over, one-under" pattern 50 (detailed of FIG. 1A), which is a common weave pattern used in known braided embolic devices. The elongate members 20 of FIGS. 1A-1B can include a ribbon-like configuration having substantially rectangular cross-section (FIG. 1C). As further shown in FIG. 1C, the ribbon-like elongate members 20 comprise a width (W1) of 0.004 inch (0.102 mm) and a height (H1) of 0.002 inch (0.051 mm). In some embodiments, the ribbon-like elongate members 20 comprises a maximum width of 0.005 inch (0.127 mm) and a minimum height (thickness) of 0.0008 inch (0.0203 mm). In other embodiments, the ribbon-like elongate member 20 may have a maximum width of 0.002 inch (0.051 mm) and a minimum height of 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm). In various embodiments, the ribbon-like elongate member 20 may have a cross-sectional dimension (width or thickness) that is in a range of between 0.0001 inch and 0.0015 inch, for example, less than 0.0013 inch, less than 0.001 inch, or even less than 0.00085 inch. In further embodiments where the elongate members 20 have substantially circular cross-section (not-shown), the diameter of the circular cross-section of the elongate members 20 are in the range between 0.0008 inch (0.0203 mm) to 0.004 inch (0.102 mm), and preferably, in the range between 0.001 inch (0.025 mm) to 0.002 inch (0.051 mm). In other embodiments, the diameter of the circular cross-section of the elongate member 20 may be less than 0.00085 inch, and preferably between 0.0001 inch to 0.0008 inch, and more preferably between 0.0003 inch to 0.00075 inch. It should be appreciated that the elongate members 20 may include other cross-sectional configurations. For example, in other embodiments, the elongate member 20 may be a braid wire with a diameter that is anywhere from 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) to 0.0015 inch (0.0381 mm), and preferably anywhere from 0.0005 inch (0.0127 mm) to 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm) (1 inch = 25.4 mm).

[0020] In the embodiments of FIGS. 1A-1B, the braid pattern 50 or specification of the braid of the stent 10 includes between 24 to 144 elongate members 20; preferably between 48 to 120 elongate members 20, or between 24-72 elongate members 20. Additionally, the radially expanded delivered configuration of the braided stent 10 have a PPI between 30 to 200; preferably between 50 to 150.

[0021] The braided stent 10 is made from a material containing molybdenum-rhenium (Mo-Re) alloy. Also, in some embodiments, the material may further be alloyed with Ta, Ir, Rh, Ru, or any combination of the foregoing, to enhance mechanical property of the material. The material is further alloyed with Hf to reduce magnetic susceptibility.

[0022] FIGS. 2A-2B illustrate an intrasaccular device in the form of an embolic coil 100 (not according to the claimed invention). The embolic coil 100 is another example of an implantable medical device. The coil 100 is formed of a helically wound wire 102 having a first end 104 and a second end 106. The coil 100 includes a stretch-resisting member 108 that is fixedly attached both to the first end 104 and to the second end 106. In alternative embodiments, the stretch-resisting member 108 may be attached to one of the two ends or to neither of the two ends. The coil 100 of FIG. 2A is shown in a "primary" winding or shape, and the coil 100 of FIG. 2B is shown in a "secondary" winding or shape. The secondary shape of the coil 100 of FIG. 2B forms a substantially spherical three-dimensional shape having non-overlapping loops 120. It should be appreciated that secondary shape of the coil 100 may assume any other suitable shape. The wire 102 of coil 100 may be formed of a single wire, drawn-filled tubes, threads, filaments or the like. In some embodiments, the wire 102 diameter (D1) ranges from about 0.0005 inch (0.0127 mm) to about 0.005 inch (0.127 mm), the primary wind diameter (D2) of the coil 100 ranges from about 0.003 inch (0.0762 mm) to about 0.030" (0.762 mm) and / or the secondary wind diameter (D3) ranges from about 0.5 mm to about 50 mm, as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B.

[0023] The coil 100 may be made from an alloy containing rhenium. For example, the coil 100 may be made from a material containing molybdenum-rhenium (Mo-Re) alloy or tungsten-rhenium (W-Re) alloy. Also, in some embodiments, the material may further be alloyed with Ta, Ir, Rh, Ru, or any combination of the foregoing, to enhance mechanical property of the material. The material is further alloyed with Hf to reduce magnetic susceptibility.

[0024] FIGS. 3A-3F illustrate an exemplary braided intravascular device 200 having an atraumatic end member 270, constructed according to some embodiments. The braided intravascular device 200 is another example of an implantable medical device. FIG. 3A shows the braided intravascular device 200 in a radially expanded (i.e., unconstrained) configuration, having a proximal portion 220, a distal portion 240, and a lumen 260 extending therebetween. The braided intravascular device 200 is formed out of a plurality of elongate members 250 (e.g., wires, drawn-filled tubes, threads, filaments and the like) that are woven (or "braided") together. The braided intravascular device 200 includes the atraumatic member 270 (e.g., coil or the like) at the distal portion 240 of the device 200, as shown in FIG. 3A. It should be appreciated that another atraumatic member 230 may be disposed at the proximal portion 220 of the device 200 (shown in FIG. 3B). The individual elongate members 250 may have substantially circular cross-sections (FIG. 3C), with a cross-sectional diameter in a range of between about 0.0005 inch (0.0127 mm) to about 0.0015 inch (0.0381 mm) It should be appreciated that the individual elongate members 250 may have other suitable cross-sections, such as for example, rectangular with rounded corners (FIG. 3D), rectangular with square corners (FIG. 3E), ovoid (FIG. 3F) or the like. The device 200 may also have different, i.e., non-tubular, cross-sectional shapes in their expanded configurations, such as a flattened rectangle with rounded corners (not shown).

[0025] It should be noted that the braided intravascular device 200 of FIGS. 3A-3B is not limited to having the examples of the dimensions described, and that the braided intravascular device 200 may have other dimensions. For example, in some embodiments, the braided intravascular device 200 may comprise a braided structure formed from braid wires, wherein at least one of the braid wire may have a cross-sectional dimension that is anywhere from 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) to 0.001 inch (0.0254 mm). In other embodiments, the braid wire may have a cross-sectional dimension that is less than 0.00085 inch (0.022 mm), and preferably anywhere from 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) to 0.0008 inch (0.020 mm), and more preferably anywhere from 0.0003 inch (0.0076 mm) to 0.00075 inch (0.019 mm). Alternatively, the braided structure may be formed from ribbon wires, wherein at least one of the ribbon wires has a thickness that is at least 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm), and a width that is at most 0.002 inch (0.0508 mm). In other embodiments, the ribbon wire may have a cross-sectional dimension (width or thickness) that is less than 0.00085 inch (0.022 mm), and preferably anywhere from 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) to 0.0008 inch (0.020 mm), and more preferably anywhere from 0.0003 inch (0.0076 mm) to 0.00075 inch (0.019 mm). Also, in other embodiments, the braided structure may be formed from one or more twisted wire. In addition, in some embodiments, the braided structure may have a wire count that is anywhere from 8 to 96, anywhere from 16-32, anywhere from 24-144, or anywhere from 24-72. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the braided structure may have a braid angle that is anywhere from 20° to 130°, or preferably anywhere from 20° to 60°, when the braided intravascular device 200 is unconstrained outside a delivery catheter.

[0026] Also, in some embodiments, the braided structure of the braided intravascular device 200 may have a tubular configuration. In other embodiments, the braided structure of the braided intravascular device 200 may have a non-tubular configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the braided structure may be a flat braid. A flat braid may be any braided structure with a cross-section having a width W and a thickness T (measured in a direction perpendicular to the width), wherein a ratio of W / T is equal to or greater than 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Also, in some embodiments, the braided structure may be a ribbon braid. In one or more embodiments described herein, a braid may have a width that is anywhere from 0.020 inch (0.5 mm) to 0.197 inch (5 mm), and preferably anywhere from 0.030 inch (0.75 mm) to 0.079 inch (2.0 mm), and preferably anywhere from 0.030 inch (0.75 mm) to 0.06 inch (1.5 mm). In further embodiments, the braid may have a width that is 0.039 inch (1 mm) or larger. For example, in one implementation, the braid may have a width of about 1.25 mm (e.g., 1.25 mm + / - 0.1 mm). In some embodiments, the braid may have a braid stiffness that is less than 50 mN / mm. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the braid may be formed from multiple braid wires of the same size and / or same composition. In other embodiments, the braid may be formed from multiple braid wires of different sizes and / or different compositions.

[0027] In some embodiments, when the braid is unconfined outside a catheter, the braid may have a first width, and when the braid is inside the catheter, it may elastically collapse and / or bend transversely (e.g., in a direction that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the braid) to have a second width that is smaller than the first width. For example, the braid may be a flat braid that is curled or rolled up elastically to have the second width when inside the catheter, and may elastically spring into a relaxed configuration having the first width when deployed outside the catheter.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3B, the atraumatic member 270 at the distal portion 240 of the braided intravascular device 200 is a first coil segment made from a coil wire. Optionally, the braided intravascular device 200 may also include another atraumatic member 230 at the proximal portion 220. The atraumatic member 230 is a second coil segment in the illustrated embodiments. In some embodiments, the coil segment (forming the atraumatic member 230 / 270) may comprise a coil wire having a cross-sectional dimension that is anywhere from 0.0001 inch (0.00254 mm) to 0.003 inch (0.075 mm), and wherein the first coil segment has a primary wind diameter that is anywhere from 0.003 inch (0.076mm) to 0.030 inch (0.762 mm). In other embodiments, the braided intravascular device 200 may not include the atraumatic member 230 and / or the atraumatic member 270. The coil forming the atraumatic member 230 / 270 may have a simple or complex shape.

[0029] The elongate members 250 is made from a material containing molybdenum-rhenium (Mo-Re) alloy. Also, in some embodiments, the material may further be alloyed with Ta, Ir, Rh, Ru, or any combination of the foregoing, to enhance mechanical property of the material. The material is further alloyed with Hf to reduce magnetic susceptibility.

[0030] In some embodiments, the braided intravascular device 200 may be delivered through a catheter having a lumen for accommodating the braided intravascular device 200. The lumen of the catheter may have an internal diameter that is less than 0.020", less than 0.018", less than 0.016", or less than 0.014" (such as 0.013" or smaller). In other embodiments, the lumen of the catheter may have an internal diameter that is larger than 0.020", such as 0.04", 0.06", 0.08", 0.1", 0.2", etc.

[0031] In one or more embodiments described herein, the material forming the elongate member 20 / 102 / 250 may have a Young's modulus that is 30 Msi or higher, 36 Msi or higher, or 40 Msi or higher.

[0032] Also, in one or more embodiments described herein, the material forming the elongate member 20 / 102 / 250 may have an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) that is 350 ksi or higher, or 400 ksi or higher, or 470 ksi or higher, or 500 ksi or higher, such as anywhere from 500-700 ksi.

[0033] Experiments were conducted on devices composed of disclosed platinum-tungsten (Pt-W) alloy having a percentage of tungsten (W) that is equal or larger than 10% of the device or portions thereof. ( not according to the claimed invention) A sample wire made of the disclosed platinum-tungsten (Pt-W) alloy (Pt-16%W) and having a diameter of 0.0011" (0.02794 mm) was tested to confirm properties of the disclosed alloy and compared to the commonly used Pt-8%W with same wire diameter of 0.0011". Both wires having an elongation of approximately 2%. The sample wire composed of the disclosed platinum-tungsten (Pt-W) alloy (Pt-16%W) and having a density of 21.08 g / cm3 comprises an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 470 Ksi, a Young's modulus of 36 Msi and magnetic susceptibility of 23 ppm. In comparison, the commonly used Pt-8%W wire having a density of 21.26 g / cm3 has an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 200-250 Ksi, a Young's modulus of 26 Msi and magnetic susceptibility of 69 ppm.

[0034] Therefore, the wire composed of a platinum-tungsten alloy that is approximately 16% tungsten by weight showed approximately a 100% improvement in mechanical strength, approximately a 40% increase in Young's modulus, and approximately a 65% reduction in magnetic susceptibility, respectively, over a substantially identically dimensioned wire composed of a platinum-tungsten alloy that is approximately 8% tungsten by weight. Notably, in some embodiments, the implantable medical devices may be formed out of wires or filaments having the same attributes as the tested wire made from the platinum-tungsten alloy that is approximately 16% tungsten by weight.

[0035] With the elongate member 20 / 102 / 250 is formed from an alloy containing rhenium, similar mechanical properties may be obtained. For example, the rhenium-containing alloy may have a Young's modulus of 40 Msi or higher. The rhenium-containing alloy may have a UTS that is 400 ksi or higher, such as anywhere from 500 ksi to 700 ksi.

[0036] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an implantable medical device 400 in accordance with some embodiments. The implantable medical device 400 comprises a braided structure 402 made from a plurality of elongate members 410. Also, each of the elongate members 410 has a cross-sectional dimension that is about 0.00075 inch (e.g., 0.00075 inch + / - 0.0001 inch). The material of the elongate members 410 has a Young's modulus of 36 Msi, and ultimate tensile strength of 470 ksi. The braided structure 402 is a ribbon braid having a width of about 1.25 mm (e.g., 1.25 mm + / -0.1 mm).

[0037] The implantable medical device 400 has acceptable shape retention property, and can be delivered more smoothly using a catheter (e.g., a catheter with a lumen diameter of 0.013 inch), in comparison with another implantable medical device 500 shown in FIG. 5. The implantable medical device 500 of FIG. 5 is made from elongate members 510 having similar dimension as that of the elongate members 410, and is made by the same process as that for the implantable medical device 400. However, the elongate members 510 of the implantable medical device 500 are made from Pt-W alloy having a percentage of tungsten that is 8% by weight. In comparison to the shape retention of the implantable medical device 400 of FIG. 4, the loops of the implantable medical device 500 are easily unfolded, easily unbent, or easily plastically deformed (due to the lower material Young's modulus, which is 26 Msi), and therefore the implantable medical device 500 has undesirable shape retention property. Also, the Pt-8W material of the implantable medical device 500 has lower mechanical strength than Pt-16W, resulting in braids constructed of small diameter wires being easily damaged and / or easily disrupted during handling and / or processing. Sometimes, the wires forming the braid of the implantable medical device 500 may be broken due to the lower material UTS (250 ksi).

[0038] As shown in the above embodiments, using elongate members made from the materials described herein to make implantable medical devices are advantageous. This is because the higher Young's modulus (e.g., higher compared to Pt-8W) of the materials allow implantable medical devices with higher axial (column) stiffness and strength to be made. As a result, the implantable medical devices maybe even smaller in size (e.g., cross-sectional dimension) compared to previously known devices. In one application, the implantable medical device may be a vaso-occlusive device configured to be delivered to a small blood vessel to occlude an aneurysm. The small blood vessel may be any blood vessel in the body, including a distant blood vessel in a brain of a patient. Also, due to the higher mechanical strengths of the materials described herein, the implantable medical devices can be delivered smoothly using a small catheter without folding, buckling, and kinking. This is the case even if the medical device is made smaller in sized. In addition, due to the higher UTS of the materials, the elongate members forming the implantable medical devices will not easily be disrupted or break during handling and processing. Furthermore, because of the higher Young's modulus of the materials, smaller elongate members may be utilized to make implantable medical devices in order to achieve a softer bending stiffness. As a result, the implantable medical devices have desirable bending stiffness and can exhibit better shape retention properties.

[0039] In some embodiments, the implantable medical device described herein may be provided with a catheter. In such cases, the implantable medical device and the catheter together form a kit. The catheter may have a lumen with a cross-sectional dimension that is less than 0.02 inch (e.g., less than 0.014 inch). In some embodiments, the implantable medical device may be a flat braid that is accommodated in the lumen of the catheter. In such cases, the flat braid may have sufficient column strength to be advanced relative to the catheter (e.g., the flat braid will not buckle, kink, fold, etc., inside the lumen of the catheter as it is being advanced).

[0040] The implantable medical device described herein has a length of at least 1.2 inch. Also, in one or more embodiments, the implantable medical device (e.g., a braid) with any of the length described herein is considered as having sufficient column strength if the implantable medical device, when inserted lengthwise into an elongate lumen, can be pushed through the elongate lumen without buckling, kinking, or plastically deformed, wherein the elongate lumen has a maximum lumen width of 0.02 inch, and more preferably a maximum width of 0.016 inch, and even more preferably a maximum width of 0.014 inch (e.g., 0.013 inch). The elongate lumen may be a lumen of a catheter, or any elongate lumen, such as a lumen of a tube that is for use to test the column strength of the implantable medical device.

[0041] In some embodiments, the implantable medical device described herein is considered as having a sufficient shape retention property, if the implantable medical device with a certain initial radius R1 of curvature is inserted into a catheter, and has a radius R2 of curvature after the implantable medical device is deployed out of the catheter, wherein the radius R2 of curvature of the deployed implantable medical device is less than five times R1, or preferably less than four times R1, or more preferably less than 3 times R1, or even more preferably less than 2 times R1 (such as less than 1.5 times R1).

[0042] As used in this specification, the term "braid" refers to any structure formed by multiple elongate members, wherein the elongate members may or may not be woven to form the structure. In some embodiments, the braid may have a grid or mesh configuration with an open texture having spaced holes, wherein the spaced holes may form a certain uniform pattern, or may form a random pattern. In other embodiments, the braid may have other configurations, and may or may not have an open texture. In some embodiments, the elongate members may be coupled to each other by mechanical force, such as frictional force between the elongate members. By means of non-limiting examples, the frictional force coupling the elongate members to form the braid may be created by twisting the elongate members, weaving the elongate members, overlapping the elongate members, etc. In other embodiments, the elongate members may be coupled to each other by adhesive.

[0043] As used in this specification, the term "about" refers to a variation of a value that is within 10%, unless specifically stated otherwise. For example, equal to or greater than "about 10%" by weight refers to a weight that is at least 10% + / - 1% of the total weight or higher.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500), comprising: an elongate member (20, 250) made from a material comprising a molybdenum-rhenium (Mo-Re) alloy, wherein the material comprising the molybdenum-rhenium alloy also comprises hafnium to reduce magnetic susceptibility, wherein the elongate member (20, 250) forms part of a braid; characterized in that the material comprising the molybdenum-rhenium alloy and the hafnium has a tensile strength that is higher than 2413 MPa (350 ksi); the implantable medical device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500) is insertable lengthwise into an inner lumen of a tube having an inner lumen diameter not greater than 0.508mm (0.02 inch) and the implantable medical device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500) has a longitudinal axis and a length measured in a direction of the longitudinal axis that is at least 30.48 mm (1.2 inch) wherein the elongate member (20, 250) of the implantable medical device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500) has a cross-sectional dimension that is between 0.00254 mm (0.0001 inch) and 0.0381 mm ( 0.0015inch) and wherein the implantable device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500) has a column strength sufficient to allow the implantable medical device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500) to be pushed through the inner lumen without undergoing buckling, kinking, or plastic deformation.

2. The implantable medical device (10, 100, 200, 400, 500) of claim 1, wherein the elongate member (20, 250) has a cross-sectional dimension that is less than 0.0215mm (0.00085 inch)3. The implantable medical device of claim 1 or 2, further comprising an atraumatic member (270) at a distal portion (240) of the implantable medical device (10, 200, 400, 500).

4. The implantable member device (10, 200, 400, 500) of claim 3, wherein the atraumatic member (270) comprises a coil.