Abstract: A balloon dilatation having a relatively stiff proximal catheter shaft which is formed at least in part of an engineering thermoplastic polymer material with a tensile strength of at least about 10,000 psi, an elongation of at least 50% and a tensile modulus of at least 300,000 psi. The polymer is preferably an aromatic polymer, and particularly polyetheretherketone.

Abstract: A composite tubular element for intravascular catheters, such as fixed-wire dilatation catheters and guiding and angiographic catheters, which is formed by braiding strands formed from an intimate mixture of polymeric matrix materials, such as fibers and powders, having a relatively low melting point and high strength reinforcing fibers having a relatively high melting point into a tubular element, heating the braided tubular element to melt the low melting point matrix materials and flow around the reinforcing fibers to form a matrix. A thermoplastic jacket or coating may then be extruded or otherwise applied to the exterior of the braided tubular element.

Abstract: A composite tubular element for intravascular catheters, such as fixed-wire dilatation catheters and guiding and angiographic catheters, which is formed by braiding strands formed from an intimate mixture of polymeric matrix materials, such as fibers and powders, having a relatively low melting point and high strength reinforcing fibers having a relatively high melting point into a tubular element, heating the braided tubular element to melt the low melting point matrix materials and flow around the reinforcing fibers to form a matrix. A thermoplastic jacket or coating may then be extruded or otherwise applied to the exterior of the braided tubular element.

Abstract: An orthopedic device formed from a composite material which is reinforced with continuous filament carbon fibers to provide the material with high flexural strength, hydrolytic stability and a medical grade quality. A preferred embodiment of the orthopedic device is a hip joint prosthesis in which the stem and spherical head of the prosthesis can be formed from a composite block. In the alternative, the stem alone can be formed from the block and a head of another material attached to one end of the stem. One embodiment of the method includes first forming a sheet of carbon fibers by wrapping carbon fiber tows spirally around a drum after passing the tows through a thermoplastic resin which serves as a bonding agent. Then, rectangular pieces of the carbon fiber-polymer sheet are combined one with another to form a stack. Pressure is exerted on the stack in the presence of heat to form the composite block. Following the formation of the block, the block is machined to form the desired orthopedic device.