Choosing the optimised configuration of medical wire (including coatings, materials and forms) for any given application is no easy task. This is why so many medical device manufacturers turn to experts such as Sandvik Materials Technology to design and develop medical wire and wire components that meet all of their requirements.
Some catheters are comprised of a polyurethane or polyethylene outer jacket, extruded over a stainless-steel braid made of very small ribbon wire. This braid acts as reinforcement to the jacket, to prevent devices from being inserted into the catheter from breaking through.
With expertise in stainless steel dating back to the 1800s, Sandvik manufactures fine dimension stainless ribbon wire which can be braided for catheter reinforcement, as well as for the safety wire used for retracting catheter components that break in service.
Sandvik offers a wide range of medical grade stainless steel wire materials, including EXERA® 12R10 and EXERA® 12R10 HV. All alloy materials that Sandvik offers can be supplied in ribbon form with or without a polymer coating. Additionally, surface finishes can be modified with gold, nickel, silver plating or an oxidized surface layer. Mechanical properties such as torque can be modified through heat treatments and cold reduction operations to ensure that it is optimised for use inside a catheter or safety wire.
EXERA® brand from Sandvik offers more than 200 metals and metal alloys, along with various surface treatments and configurations in order to offer medical device manufacturers fully customised medical wire components, including devices used to treat cardiovascular, endovascular and peripheral vascular disorders, such as catheters.
For more information about EXERA® fine medical wire-components, including available materials and surface treatments, download the white paper below.
