Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Use of Superelasticity in Modern Medicine

  • Published:
MRS Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The value of Nitinol (Ni-Ti) in the field of medicine has proven to be far greater than just as the simple “springy metal” it was once considered to be. In particular, its use in vascular implants highlights many valuable yet subtle behaviors, including a “biased stiffness,” enhanced fatigue resistance, low magnetic susceptibility, and good biocompatibility. Nitinol today is nearly as well known to medical-device designers and physicians as are stainless steel and titanium, and it is the enabling ingredient in a growing number of successful and profitable life-saving devices.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. J.L. Hughes, Evaluation of Nitinol for Use as a Material in the Construction of Orthopaedic Implants, Final Report, December 1973-December 1976 (Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  2. L.S. Castleman, S.M. Motzkin, F.P. Alicandri, and V.L. Bonawit, J. Biomed. Mater. Res. 10 (1976) p. 695.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. M.J. Nonnenmann, “A Comparison of Stiffness, Flexure Yield Strength, and Working Range of AMES Heat #1 Nitinol Wire under the Conditions of Heating the Wire from 400°C−800°C at 50° Increments Utilizing…,” Master’s thesis, University of Iowa, 1975.

    Google Scholar 

  4. H. Sakamoto, K. Uematsu, M. Momota, S. Tanabe, T. Suzuki, and T. Endo, U.S. Patent No. 4,925,445 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  5. J.K. Nicholson and R.F. Gatturna, U.S. Patent No. 4,616,656 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  6. C.T. Dotter, R.W. Buschmann, M.K. McKinney and J. Rosch, Radiology 147 (1983) p. 259.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. T.W. Duerig, D.E. Tolomeo, and M. WholeyMin. Invas. Ther. Allied Technol. 9 (3/4) (2000) p. 235.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. B. Berg, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 273-275 (1999).

  9. M. Simon, R. Kaplow, E. Salzman, and D. Freiman, Radiology 125 (1) (1977) p. 89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. C.-M. Chan, S. Trigwell, and T. Duerig, Surf. Interface Anal. 15 (1990) p. 349.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. A. Pelton, D. Hodgson, S. Russell, and T. Duerig, in Proc. SMST-97 (Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies) (The International Organization on Shape Memory and Superelastic Technologies, Santa Clara, CA, 1997) p. 407.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. T. W. Duerig
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Duerig, T.W. The Use of Superelasticity in Modern Medicine. MRS Bulletin 27, 101–104 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2002.44

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs2002.44

Keywords

Search

Navigation