Reliability of wires and cables for biomedical applications

What is it about?

Advances in minimally invasive surgeries, along with emerging technologies in neurostimulation and neuroprostheses, require materials and device designs with a high level of reliability. Fine wires, strands, cables and coils comprise a variety of medical devices that play a critical role in the treatment of numerous diagnoses. Understanding the factors controlling the fatigue and fracture behavior of these devices and their constituent parts is paramount for device reliability. This paper discusses those contributing factors and compiles previously published data to provide a convenient platform to compare data and explore variability related to various testing techniques.

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Why is it important?

This comprehensive article, for the first time, offers a discussion and summary of the common materials systems, testing methodologies, fatigue data, modeling and fracture characteristics for wires associated with biomedical applications. The effects of changes in material composition, processing and test conditions on the fatigue and fracture behavior are discussed and recommendations for future work are also provided.

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