An improved method of making expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cut cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements, the elements having a rectangular cross-section from cut-to-cut. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements are disposed in an undulating pattern. The stent is manufactured by dir...

An improved expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, and an improved method for making it from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cut cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements, the elements having a rectangular cross-section from cut-to-cut. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements are disposed in an undulating pattern. The stent is...

An improved expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, and an improved method for making it from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cut cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements, the elements having a rectangular cross-section from cut-to-cut. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements are disposed in an undulating pattern. The stent is...

A method and apparatus for cutting and heat sealing the ends of lengths of woven thermoplastic material is disclosed with the apparatus including selectively activated means for feeding predetermined lengths of a material from a supply across the supporting surface. Means releasably clamp the material lengths against the supporting surface, with a gap extending transversely of the material lengths to expose portions of the material through the gap. A laser beam is directed against the exposed po...

An improved expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, and an improved method for making it from a single length of tubing. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cut cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common axis and interconnected by one or more interconnective elements, the elements having a rectangular cross-section from cut-to-cut. The individual radially expandable cylindrical elements are disposed in an undulating pattern. The stent is...

A method and apparatus are disclosed utilizing a laser for heat treating a transformation hardenable workpiece. Sufficiently high laser power densities are provided at the workpiece surface to cause an incandescent reaction with the workpiece, but incandescent reaction is limited to a sufficiently short period of time to prevent any substantial melting of the workpiece. Pre-conditioning the workpiece prior to heat treatment, squelching the workpiece with a gaseous jet, and techniques for work-ha...

A method and apparatus for precision machining cylindrical workpieces is disclosed wherein a laser beam is directed at the workpiece tangent to or offset from a tangent to the workpiece. The workpiece is rotated about its longitudinal axis and, at the same time, the workpiece is scanned longitudinally of its axis by a laser beam.

A technique of constructing a plurality of holes in sheet material by scanning a coherent laser beam across holes in a mask overlaying said material. The use of a stream of gas coaxially aligned with said coherent light beam is also disclosed. A special technique is included for making one or more holes in a non-homogeneous particulate sheet material having finely divided particles held together by a binder, such as green (unbaked) ceramic, with the use of a coaxial coherent light beam and gas p...

A method of forming a catheter shaft having a flexible section by selective removal of catheter shaft material using laser radiation, and a catheter produced therefrom. The laser radiation is of an ultraviolet wavelength. The catheter shaft is made more flexible without a disadvantageous decrease in column strength by operating the laser in the UV, which allows for machining recess patterns with smooth and repeatable recess surfaces while producing little or no thermal or mechanical effects on t...

An improved gas laser is disclosed. The laser has a support tube to support and to maintain the alignment of the optical resonator structure. The gas lasing medium is used within the support tube to maintain the tube at a substantially constant temperature above the ambient. Furthermore, an active temperature controller is disclosed. The temperature controller maintains the gas lasing medium in the support tube at a substantially constant temperature. An active pressure controller is also disclo...