Thermal forming of refractory alloy surgical needles

摘要

A method of thermal forming of refractory alloy suture needles is disclosed. Needle blanks made from refractory alloys are used to form surgical needles, which are heated to a temperature above the ductile to brittle transition temperature but below the recrystallization temperature of the refractory alloy. The heated needle blanks are then mechanically formed into a surgical needle.

主权项

1. A method of forming a refractory alloy into a surgical needle, said method comprising:
providing a refractory alloy metal needle blank, said needle blank comprising a refractory metal alloy; curving the needle blank to have a curved or arcuate shape; heating at least a section of the needle blank to a temperature above the ductile to a brittle transition temperature, but below the recrystallization temperature of the alloy; and, thermally forming the curved needle blank by plastically deforming the needle blank into a surgical needle at the temperature, wherein the needle is free of cracks and wherein the needle after thermal forming has a reshape value in excess of 1.0.