Tantalum wire mesh

Cedeebaum M, Ravkin A, Rosenblatt E and Gez E (2001) Implementing a tantalum wire mesh to increase the skin dose in low-energy electron irradiation of the chest wall. Med Dosirn 26(3) 275—279. 

FIGURE 45.7 Scanning electron micrographs of four different types of porous structures (a) plasma sprayed coating (7x), (b) sintered wire mesh coating (7x), (c) sintered beads coating (20 x), and (d) Hedrocell porous tantalum (50x). 

The second balloon-expandable stent type has been made from a single tantalum filament, which was woven into a cylindrical wire mesh. Again, the choice of thickness of the tantalum wire and the knitting technique determines the mechanical properties of this stent type. This particular stent type has been known as the Strecker stent (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) (Strecker et al. 1990). This stent requires balloon dilatation for deployment like the Palmaz type stents. Generally, it is more flexible but also less resistant to compressive forces than the stainless steel balloon-expandable stents. Stents for use in the respiratory system came in lengths between 20 and 40 mm, and were expandable to diameters between 5 and 11 mm. Due to its relatively low radial forces, this particular stent had the unique feature of possible stent removal, thus it can be used for temporary stenting (Schmidt et al. 1999 Witt et al. 1997). 

There are several types of mesh available, and these are identified by mesh thickness, density, wire diameter and weave pattern. Table 4-9 identifies most of the commercial material now available. The knitted pads are available in any material that can be formed into the necessary weaves, this includes stainless steels, monel, nickel, copper, aluminum, carbon steel, tantalum, Hastelloy, Saran, polyethylene, fluoropolymer, and glass multi-filament. 

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