Laser Micromachining of Bio-absorbable Polymers: Impact of the Laser Process Parameters on the Machining Throughput and Quality

Since their introduction in 1986, stents have transformed the treatment of coronary heart disease and other arterial occlusions. Today, millions of stents are implanted worldwide each year to treat various vascular and endovascular diseases caused by the narrowing or blockage of blood vessels. Nearly all commercially available stents are made from metals. Theses stents remain in the vessels permanently after implantation and are prone to cause serious medical complications in many cases. One potential solution to avoid such complications is to use stents made out of bio-absorbable materials. Bio-absorbable stents dissolves in the human body after serving their purpose. However, machining of bio-absorbable material is a challenging task. In this paper the influence of the laser process parameters on the efficiency and quality of the machining of bioabsorbable materials using High Q Spirit TM femtosecond laser system is presented.