the shape memory alloy supported intraluminal graft 10 of the present invention consists generally of a tubular substrate 12 having a central lumen 13 passing through an entire longitudinal extent of the tubular substrate . the tubular substrate 12 has a luminal wall surface 15 adjacent the central lumen 13 and an abluminal wall surface 17 opposing the central lumen 13 . a support member 14 is provided and is preferably at least partially covered by a polymeric cladding 11 . the polymeric clad support member 14 is circumferentially disposed about and joined to the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular substrate 12 , such as by helically winding the polymeric clad support member 14 about the abluminal surface 17 of the tubular substrate 12 . optionally , a second tubular substrate 19 , having an inner diameter sufficiently dimensioned to be concentrically engaged about the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular substrate 12 and the polymeric clad support member 14 , may be provided . in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention , and with particular reference to fig1 – 3 , there is provided the inventive supported intraluminal graft 10 comprised of a tubular 12 made of a biocompatible polymeric material , such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (“ eptfe ”), polyethylene terepthalate (“ pet ”) such as that marketed and sold under the trademark dacron , polyethylene , or polyurethane . expanded ptfe substrate materials are preferably made by ram extruding an admixture of polytetrafluoroethylene resin and a hydrocarbon lubricant to form a tubular extrudate , drying off the hydrocarbon lubricant , longitudinally expanding the dried tubular extrudate , then sintering the longitudinally expanded dried tubular extrudate at a temperature above the crystalline melt point of polytetrafluoroethylene . the resulting tubular eptfe material has a microporous microstructure which is composed of spaced - apart nodes interconnected by fibrils , with the fibrils being oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eptfe tube and parallel to the axis of longitudinal expansion . u . s . pat . nos . &# 39 ; 390 and &# 39 ; 566 , both issued to gore , teach processes for making eptfe tubular substrates and are hereby incorporated by reference as teaching processes to make eptfe tubular and planar materials . a tubular substrate may also be made by weaving yarn , made of either polyester or eptfe , into a tubular structure as is well known in the art . additionally , the tubular substrate 12 may have a cylindrical profile having a substantially uniform internal diameter along its longitudinal axis , or may have a tapered sidewall in which the tubular substrate 12 assumes a generally frustroconical shape in which the internal diameter of the tubular substrate 12 increases or deceases along the longitudinal axis of the tubular substrate 12 . alternatively , the tubular substrate 12 may have at least one region of stepped diameter in which the internal diameter of the tubular substrate changes at a discrete longitudinal section of the tubular substrate 12 . in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention , the tubular substrate 12 is an extruded , longitudinally expanded and sintered eptfe tubular member which has been radially expanded from an initial luminal inner diameter of between about 1 . 5 mm to about 6 mm to a final luminal inner diameter of between about 3 mm to about 18 mm . thus , tubular substrate 12 is initially fabricated at a first relatively smaller diametric dimension , dried of the hydrocarbon lubricant , and sintered , then radially expanded by application of an radially outwardly directed force applied to the luminal wall surface 15 of the tubular substrate 12 , which radially deforms the wall of the tubular substrate 12 from an initial luminal inner diameter , denoted d 1 , to a second , enlarged luminal inner diameter , denoted d 2 . alternatively , tubular substrate 12 may be provided as an extruded , longitudinally expanded and sintered eptfe tubular member having an inner diameter equivalent to the final inner diameter of the supported intraluminal graft , e . g ., extruded to a luminal diameter of between about 3 mm to about 18 mm , and a wall thickness sufficient to acceptably minimize the delivery profile of the supported intraluminal graft . suitable wall thicknesses for the non - radially expanded eptfe tubular member are considered less than or equal to about 0 . 3 mm for delivery to peripheral anatomic passageways . the tubular substrate 12 is preferably radially expanded by loading the tubular substrate 12 , in its fully or partially sintered state , onto an inflation balloon such that the tubular substrate 12 is concentrically engaged upon the inflation balloon , introducing the inflation balloon and tubular substrate 12 into a tubular housing defining a generally cylindrical cavity having an inner diameter corresponding to the maximum desired outer diameter of the final shape memory alloy supported graft , and applying a fluid pressure to the inflation balloon to inflate the inflation balloon and radially deform the tubular substrate 12 into intimate contact with the generally cylindrical cavity . pressure is maintained within the inflation balloon for a period of time sufficient to minimize the inherent recoil property of the eptfe material in the tubular substrate 12 , then the pressure is relieved and the inflation balloon permitted to deflate . the radially deformed tubular substrate , now having an inner luminal diameter d 2 , is removed from the generally cylindrical cavity for subsequent processing . during radial expansion of the tubular substrate 12 from d 1 to d 2 , the node and fibril microstructure of the eptfe tubular substrate is deformed . the nodes , which have an orientation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular substrate 12 and parallel to the radial axis of the tubular substrate 12 , deform along the longitudinal axis of each node to form elongated columnar structures , while the length of the fibrils interconnecting adjacent pairs of nodes in the longitudinal axis of the tubular substrate 12 , remains substantially constant . the fibril length is also referred to herein as the “ internodal distance .” a support member 14 , which is preferably made of an elastic wire material selected from the group of thermoelastic or shape memory alloys , spring stainless steel , elastic metal or plastic alloys , or composite materials , such as woven carbon fibers . where a shape memory alloy is employed , it is important that the shape memory alloy have a transition temperature below human body temperature , i . e ., 37 degrees celsius , to enable the shape memory alloy to undergo transformation to the austenite phase when the shape memory alloy wire member is exposed to human body temperature in vivo . in accordance with the best mode currently known for the present invention , the preferred shape memory alloy is a near equiatomic alloy of nickel and titanium . to facilitate attachment of the elastic or thermoelastic wire member 14 to the tubular substrate 12 , it is contemplated that a polymeric cladding 11 be provided to at least partially cover the support wire member 14 and facilitate adhesion between the support wire member 14 and the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular substrate 12 . in accordance with the best mode for practicing the present invention , it is preferable that the polymeric cladding 11 be selected from the group of biocompatible polymeric materials consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene , polyurethane , polyethylene , polypropylene , polyamides , polyimides , polyesters , polypropylenes , polyethylenes , polyfluoroethylenes , silicone , fluorinated polyolefins , fluorinated ethylene / propylene copolymer , perfluoroalkoxy fluorocarbon , ethylene / tetrafluoroethylene copolymer , and polyvinylpyrolidone . as will hereinafter be described more fully , the polymeric cladding 11 may be coupled to the support wire member 14 by any of a variety of known methodologies . for example , the polymeric cladding 11 may be co - extruded with the support wire member 14 , the polymeric cladding 11 may be extruded with an opening passing through the polymeric cladding 11 along its longitudinal axis and dimensioned to receive the support wire member 14 there through , the polymeric cladding 11 may have a longitudinally extending recess dimensioned to receive and retain the support wire member 14 therein , or the polymeric cladding 11 may be applied onto the support wire member 11 in dispersion form , such as by dipcoating or spraying , and the solvent or aqueous vehicle dried thereby forming a covering on the support wire member 11 . the support wire member 14 in its polymeric cladding 11 is circumferentially joined to the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular substrate 12 , such as by helically winding at least one length of polymeric clad support wire member 14 in a regular or irregular helical pattern , or by applying the polymeric clad support wire member 14 as a series of spaced - apart circumferential rings , along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis of the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular substrate 12 . it is preferable that the tubular substrate 12 be mounted onto a supporting mandrel [ not shown ] having an outer diameter closely toleranced to the inner diameter of the tubular substrate 12 to permit the tubular substrate 12 to be placed thereupon and secured thereto without deforming the tubular substrate 12 . a second tubular member 19 may , optionally , be concentrically engaged about the tubular member 12 and the polymeric clad support wire member 14 . as more clearly depicted in fig2 – 3 , where the second tubular member 19 is employed and disposed circumferentially about the tubular member 12 and the polymeric clad support wire member 14 , the tubular member 12 and the second tubular member 19 encapsulate the polymeric clad support wire member 14 . where the tubular member 12 and the second tubular member 19 are both made of longitudinally expanded eptfe , each will have a microporous microstructure in which the fibrils are oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of each of the tubular member 12 and the second tubular member 19 , throughout their respective wall thicknesses . the encapsulation of the polymeric clad support wire member 14 is best accomplished by providing both the tubular member 12 and the second tubular member 19 as unsintered or partially sintered tubes . after wrapping the polymeric clad support wire member 14 about the abluminal surface of the tubular member 12 , and circumferentially engaging the second tubular member 19 thereabout , it is preferable to apply a circumferential pressure to the assembly , while the assembly is on the supporting mandrel [ not shown ]. circumferential pressure may be applied to the assembly by , for example , helically wrapping tetrafluoroethylene film tape about the abluminal surface of the second tubular member 19 along its longitudinal axis , or by securing opposing ends of the assembly on the supporting mandrel , and rolling the assembly to calendar the assembly . after the circumferential pressure is applied to the assembly , the assembly is then introduced into either a convention or radiant heating oven , set at a temperature above the melt point of the material used to fabricate the tubular member 12 , the second tubular member 19 and / or the polymeric cladding 11 , for a period of time sufficient to bond the tubular member 12 , the second tubular member 19 and the polymeric cladding 11 into a substantially monolithic , unitary structure . where polytetrafluoroethylene is used , it has been found that it is preferable to heat the assembly in a radiant heating oven . fig4 a – 4c depict the method steps for making the inventive shape memory alloy supported intraluminal graft 10 . with a first step 20 , tubular member 12 is concentrically engaged onto a supporting mandrel 22 such that the supporting mandrel 22 resides within the lumen of the tubular member 12 . a helical winding of polymeric clad support wire member 14 is applied about the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular member 12 at step 25 . the helical windings have an interwinding distance 27 which is preferably at least one times the distance 29 which represents the width of the polymer cladding 11 , in the case of a planar polymer cladding 11 , or the diameter , in the case of a tubular polymer cladding 11 having a circular transverse cross - section . the helical winding of the polymeric clad support wire member 14 contacts the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular member 12 at an interfacial region 28 . according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided an adhesive material 23 selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene , polyurethane , polyethylene , polypropylene , polyamides , polyimides , polyesters , polypropylenes , polyethylenes , polyfluoroethylenes , silicone , fluorinated polyolefins , fluorinated ethylene / propylene copolymer , perfluoroalkoxy fluorocarbon , ethylene / tetrafluoroethylene copolymer , and polyvinylpyrolidone . the adhesive material is preferably applied to the interfacial region 28 of the polymeric clad support wire member 14 , but may also be applied in a pattern directly to a surface of the tubular substrate and the sma wire member 14 brought into contact with the adhesive material . in this manner , as the polymeric clad support wire member 28 is helically applied to the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular member 12 , the adhesive material 23 forms an interlayer intermediate the polymeric clad support wire member 28 and the abluminal wall surface 17 of the tubular member 12 . where the selected adhesive material 23 has a melt point less than the crystalline melt point of polytetrafluoroethylene , i . e ., about 327 degrees centigrade , the resulting assembly of step 25 may be introduced into a heating oven set at the melt temperature of the selected adhesive material 23 , for a period of time sufficient to melt the adhesive material 23 and impart an adhesive bond between the polymeric clad support wire member 14 and the tubular member 12 . on the other hand , where the selected adhesive material 23 is polytetrafluoroethylene , an external covering of a second tubular member 26 may be concentrically engaged about the assembly resulting from step 25 , a circumferential pressure exerted to the second tubular member 26 , thereby bringing the second tubular member 26 , the polymer clad support wire member 11 and the tubular member 12 into intimate contact with one another , and the entire assembly introduced into a sintering oven set at a temperature above the crystalline melt point of polytetrafluoroethylene and for a period of time sufficient to meld the second tubular member 26 and the tubular member 12 to one another to form a resultant substantially monolithic structure which is substantially devoid of interfacial demarcations between the second tubular member 26 and the tubular member 12 , with the polymer clad support wire member 14 residing intermediate there between . turning now to fig5 – 12 , there is depicted numerous alternate configurations of the polymer clad support wire member 14 . fig5 and 6 depict a first embodiment of the polymer clad support wire member 34 in which the support wire member is formed as a planar ribbon wire 38 a generally tubular box - like polymer cladding 36 provided about the outer surfaces of the planar ribbon wire 38 . in the transverse cross - sectional view of fig6 it will be seen that both the planar ribbon wire 38 and the polymer cladding 36 have generally quadrilateral cross - sectional configurations . fig7 – 8 depict a second embodiment of the polymer clad support wire member 40 in which the support wire member is formed as a cylindrical wire 44 having a generally tubular polymer cladding 42 provided about the outer circumference of the planar ribbon wire 44 . in the transverse cross - sectional view of fig8 it will be seen that both the cylindrical wire 44 and the polymer cladding 42 have generally circular cross - sectional configurations . fig9 – 12 are provided in the transverse cross - sectional views only , it being understood that like fig5 and 7 , each of the embodiments depicted in fig9 – 12 have corresponding perspective configurations . fig9 depicts a third embodiment of the polymer clad support wire member 46 in which the support wire member is formed as a cylindrical wire having a generally triangular - shaped polymer cladding 48 , with a central longitudinal cylindrical bore to accommodate the cylindrical wire 49 therein , which is provided about the outer surfaces of the cylindrical wire 49 . a fourth embodiment of the polymer clad support wire member 50 is depicted in fig1 . polymer clad support wire member 50 consists generally of a polymer cladding 52 having a plurality of planar surfaces and having a generally quadrilateral transverse cross - sectional shape , while the support wire member 54 is generally cylindrical with a generally circular transverse cross - section . as depicted in fig1 , a fifth embodiment of the polymer clad support wire member 60 is depicted . here , the support wire member 54 has a generally cylindrical shape with a generally circular transverse cross - section , while the polymer cladding 62 has a main body portion having a generally circular transverse cross - section , but has additional projections extending radially outward from the generally circular main body portion to increase the bonding surface area of the polymer clad support wire member 60 . finally , as depicted in fig1 , the sixth embodiment of the polymer clad support wire member 70 is depicted . in accordance with this sixth embodiment there is provided a generally cylindrical support wire member 76 having a generally circular transverse cross - section , while the polymer cladding 72 is provided with a generally triangular cross - sectional shape , with hemispherical recess 74 formed in an apex of the generally triangular cross - sectional shape . the hemispherical recess 74 subtends at least a 180 degree arc and extends along a substantial longitudinal extent of the polymer cladding 72 . the generally cylindrical support wire member 76 is engaged in the hemispherical recess 74 and retained therein by an interference fit , or by other suitable means , such as an adhesive . it will be understood by those skilled in the art , that each of the foregoing embodiments of the polymer clad support wire member may be made by pulltrusion methods in which the shape memory alloy wire member , having a pre - programmed austenite phase , is fed into an extruder during extrusion of the polymer cladding , or by extruding the polymer cladding with a central lumen , dimensioned appropriately to permit engagement of the shape memory alloy wire , then threading the support wire member into the central lumen of the polymer cladding . finally , an alternative embodiment of a shape memory alloy supported intraluminal graft 80 is depicted in fig1 and 14 . the inventive shape memory alloy supported intraluminal graft 80 may be formed by helically wrapping a length of polymer clad 84 shape memory alloy wire 86 about a supporting winding mandrel , such that the polymer cladding 84 has overlapping regions 88 which form seams . the resulting assembly is then heated above the melt point of the polymer cladding 84 to join and seal the overlapping regions 88 to one another . the inventive method 100 for making the inventive wire supported intraluminal graft , described above , is illustrated with reference to fig1 . an elastic or thermoelastic wire member is provided at step 102 along with a shaping mandrel 104 . the shaping mandrel 104 is preferably a solid cylindrical or tubular cylindrical stainless steel member capable of withstanding annealing temperatures of shape memory alloys . at step 106 , the wire member provided at step 102 is wound onto the shaping mandrel provided at step 104 . the wire member is preferably helically wound about the shaping mandrel such that adjacent windings are substantially uniformly spaced from one another . it is also contemplated that the wire member may be wound about the shaping mandrel in any of a wide number of configurations , including non - uniformly spaced windings long portions of the shaping mandrel , such that certain regions of the winding have higher and lower frequency windings than other regions , that the winding be shaped as adjacent circumferential loops such as that shape disclosed in gianturco , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 907 , 336 or wiktor , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 969 , 458 , both hereby incorporated by reference as teaching a shape of winding suitable for use with the present invention , or virtually any other shape which is capable for forming an open tubular structural skeleton , including , without limitation , a helical winding having a plurality of sinusoidal bends along a length thereof , as taught by wiktor , u . s . pat . no . 4 , 886 , 062 or pinchuck , u . s . pat . no . 5 , 019 , 090 , both hereby incorporated by reference as teaching alternative configurations of helical windings of wire members . where a thermoelastic shape memory alloy ( sma ) wire member is utilized , the sma wire member is wound about the shaping mandrel , the shape of the wound sma wire member is programmed at step 108 by annealing the sma wire member at a temperature and for a time sufficient to impart shape memory properties to the sma wire member . at step 110 , the preprogrammed sma alloy wire member is then exposed to temperature conditions below the m f temperature of the sma alloy . while it is maintained below the m f temperature of the sma alloy , the wire member is removed from the shaping mandrel and straightened to a linear shape at step 112 . if the sma alloy wire member is to be covered with a cladding , a polymeric tubular cladding is provided at step 118 and the sma alloy wire member is threaded into the lumen of the tubular cladding at step 120 . it is preferable that steps 118 and 120 be performed while the sma alloy wire member is maintained at a temperature below the m f temperature of the sma alloy to prevent shape recovery of the sma alloy wire member . alternatively , if no polymeric cladding is to be employed , but the sma alloy wire member from step 112 is to be adhered , an adhesive material may be applied to the sma alloy wire member at step 122 . step 122 may be conducted while the sma alloy wire member is at a temperature below the m f temperature , however , due to the fact that most adhesives may not adhere to the sma alloy wire member at such temperatures , the adhesive is preferably applied to the sma alloy wire member while it is in the austenite state . where an elastic wire member , such as a support structure made from stainless steel spring wire , is employed , the shape programming described in the preceding paragraph may , of course , be omitted . after application of the polymeric cladding at steps 118 and 120 , or after the adhesive is applied at step 122 , or where step 122 is conducted at a temperature below the m f temperature of the sma alloy , the sma wire is then exposed to a temperature excursion to above the a f temperature of the sma alloy at step 114 so that the sma alloy wire member recovers its programmed shape at step 116 . where an elastic wire member is employed , it is not sensitive to temperature excursions and the temperature excursion step may be omitted . a tubular substrate , made of , for example , extruded eptfe , preferably extruded eptfe which has been radially deformed from its nominal extruded diameter to an enlarged diameter , or woven polyester , is provided at step 123 . the wire member in its enlarged shape , which in the case of an sma wire member is its programmed shape , or in the case of an elastic wire member , in its unstressed state , is concentrically engaged about the tubular substrate at step 124 , and joined to the tubular substrate at step 126 by thermally bonding the adhesive or the polymeric cladding to the abluminal or luminal surface of the tubular substrate . it is preferable that step 126 be conducted while the tubular substrate is supported by a support mandrel and that the sma alloy wire member is retained in intimate contact with a surface of the tubular substrate with at least a portion of the wire member . the wire member , either in its clad or unclad state , may be retained in intimate contact against either by tension wrapping the wire member or by an external covering wrap of a release material , such as polytetrafluoroethylene tape , to cover at least a portion of the wire member . after the wire member is joined to the tubular substrate , the assembly may optionally be sterilized at step 128 , such as by exposure to ethylene oxide for a time and under appropriate conditions to sterilize the assembly . where an sma alloy wire member is employed , the assembly is then exposed to a temperature below the a s temperature of the sma alloy wire member at step 130 and the assembly is mechanically deformed to a smaller diametric profile at step 132 . where an elastic wire member is employed , the assembly is mechanically deformed to a smaller diametric profile at step 132 largely independent of temperature conditions . step 132 may be performed by any suitable means to reduce the diametric profile of the assembly , such as by drawing it through a reducing die , manually manipulating the assembly to a reduced diametric profile , or folding the device . the reduced profile assembly is then loaded onto a delivery catheter and covered with a restraining sheath at step 134 . once loaded onto a delivery catheter and covered with a restraining sheath to prevent shape recovery . in the case where the wire member is an sma alloy , loading the assembly onto a delivery catheter and covering with a restraining sheath requires that step 134 be performed at a temperature below the a s temperature of the sma alloy wire in order to prevent thermoelastic recovery of the sma alloy wire member . where , however , the wire member is fabricated of an elastic material , the loading step 134 is not largely temperature sensitive and may be performed at room temperature . while the wire member will exert shape recovery forces at room temperature , e . g ., above the a s temperature of the sma alloy wire employed , the restraining sheath of the delivery catheter will prevent the sma alloy wire member from recovering its programmed shape and carrying the tubular substrate to the programmed shape of the sma alloy wire member . optionally , the sterilization step 128 may also be performed after the assembly is loaded onto the delivery catheter at step 134 . while the present invention has been described with reference to its preferred embodiments and the best mode known to the inventor for making the inventive shape memory alloy supported intraluminal graft , it will be appreciated that variations in material selection for the polymer cladding , for the shape memory alloy , or process variations , such as the manner of winding the polymer clad support wire member about either a winding mandrel or a tubular member , or times and conditions of the manufacturing steps , including material selection , may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be limited only by the appended claims .
a method for making an endoluminal prosthesis for implantation within a body lumen to maintain luminal patency , the prothesis including a support structure , such as a wire member , and a polymer component , such as a polymer cladding . the method may include joining a wire member to a polymer cladding , helically wrapping a length of the joined support wire member and polymer cladding such that adjacent windings of the polymer cladding have overlapping regions , and heating the joined support wire member and polymer cladding above the melt point of the polymer cladding .