Originally Published EMDM November/December 2002
INDUSTRY NEWS
Nickel-Titanium Wire Integrates Radiopaque Core Materials |
| A superelastic nickel-titanium wire has a choice of palladium, gold, or platinum core materials, and offers greater radiopacity than traditional nickel-titanium products. |
A superelastic nickel-titanium wire with radiopaque properties has been introduced by Furukawa Electric Europe Ltd. (London). The wire was developed for medical applications that would benefit from a device with greater radiopacity than can be achieved by using traditional nickel-titanium products.
"Customers can choose from palladium, gold, or platinum as the core material," says technical sales manager Andrew Proffitt. "We are investigating the use of other core materials, as well." Despite the inner core, the wire retains the superelasticity associated with nickel titanium, he adds.
Customers can specify core diameters ranging from 10 to 40% of the wire's total diameter. Stents are among the potential applications for the product, notes Proffitt.
The company melts the nitinol alloy in-house, which provides the firm with a high degree of control over the material. "We are a raw material supplier, but we have expertise in the medical industry," says Proffitt. "This allows us to develop different grades of alloy for specific applications."
For more information, contact Furukawa Electric Europe Ltd., Third Floor, Newcombe House, 43-45 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3FE, UK; phone: +44 20 72216000; fax: +44 20 73135310; e-mail: andrew.proffitt@furukawa.co.uk; Internet: fitec.co.jp/ftm/nt-e.
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