Medicinal implant formed from alloy of tungsten, rhenium, osmium or molydenum having pH dependent corrosion rate, useful e.g. for controlled drug release

摘要

An vivo degradable medicinal implant, selected from stents (specifically coronary, peripheral, tracheal, bile duct or esophageal stents), surgical clips, bone synthesis materials, biological matrix (foam), netting or fibers, is formed from metallic material (I) containing tungsten, rhenium, osmium or molydenum as main alloy component. An Independent claim is included for a method for degrading an implant as above in a biosystem, by adjusting the pH of the biosystem (at least in the region of the implant) from a corrosion inhibiting value to a corrosion inducing value.