Appeal No. 98-1936
Application 08/316,933
mechanical strength upon the occurrence of a triggering event
and upon loss of the mechanical strength of the second
polymer, the device assumes the first conformation.
21. A medical device designed for internal use in a
patient, comprising a structure that would ordinarily assume a
first conformation and a hydrophilic polymer coated upon at
least a portion of the structure, the hydrophilic polymer
being in a second conformation and having sufficient rigidity
such that the structure is held in the second conformation,
wherein upon hydration of the hydrophilic polymer the
structure assumes the first conformation.
24. A medical device designed for internal use in a
patient, comprising a structure, the structure comprising a
first material preconfigured into a first conformation and a
hydrophilic polymer material preconfigured into a second
conformation, the first material and the hydrophilic polymer
having respective mechanical strengths, the mechanical
strength of the hydrophilic polymer material exceeding that of
the first material sufficiently so that the structure is in
the second conformation, wherein the hydrophilic polymer
-2-
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