Stents

1 . A stent, comprising an SMP material for use in the non-vascular or vascular field.

2 . The stent as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the stent comprises a basic structure of a material coated with an SMP material, preferably an SMP material with one of the following: one shape in the memory and two shapes in the memory.

3 . The stent as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising additional additives selected from among x-ray contrast substances and medically effective compounds.

4 . The stent as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the SMP material is selected from among the following: polymer networks, thermoplastic SMP materials, composite materials and blends.

5 . The stent as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the SMP material is selected from among at least one of SMP materials in which the SMP effect is induced thermally, it is photo-induced, the SMP material is biocompatible and the SMP material is haemocompatible.

6 . The stent as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the SMP material has at least one of the following:

values for e-module of 0.5 to 50 MPa, an elongation of break of 100% to 1200%, a reset fixation of more than 90%, preferably more than 92%, even more preferably more than 95%, and particularly preferably more than 98%, and a reset ratio after five cycles in the thermo-mechanical experiment of more than 90%, preferably more than 92%, even more preferably more than 95% and particularly preferably more than 98%.

7 . A stent as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the network includes at least one of the following: caprolacton units, pentadecalacton units, ethyleneglycol units, propyleneglycol units, lactic acid units and glycol acid units.

8 . A stent as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the network includes cross linked caprolactonmacromonomers.

9 . A method of manufacturing a stent of a biodegradeable SMP material, comprising the processing of the SMP material to a stent by one of the following: extrusion methods, coating methods, metal casting methods and spinning and weaving methods.

10 . A system comprising a stent of a biodegradeable SMP material, and including at least one of the following: a temperature-controlled balloon catheter and a balloon catheter with an optical fibre.

11 . A method for the minimal invasive implantation of a stent, comprising the following steps:

placing a stent of SMP material onto a temperature-controlled balloon catheter or a balloon catheter with an optical fibre;

inserting the stent placed in this manner to the desired position;

heating the stent by inserting a heating medium into the catheter;

expanding the stent to carry out the programming of the SMP material;

inserting a cooling medium into the catheter to fix the stent in the expanded condition or introduction of light (preferably UV light) of a suitable wavelength to fix the stent in the expanded state;

removing the balloon catheter.

12 . A method for removing an implanted stent of a biodegradeable SMP material, comprising:

inserting a balloon catheter into an implantation location;

inserting a heat medium into a balloon catheter to accomplish the following: heat the stent and to introduce light of a suitable wavelength;

activating the shape memory effect by heating or the effect of light so that the stent is transferred from its temporary shape into the permanent shape, and

removing the balloon catheter, together with the stent.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the step of introduction of a cooling medium after introducing the heating medium to cool the stent in the permanent shape, before removing same.

14 . A method for the minimal invasive implantation of a stent, wherein the stent is an SMP material with a first shape in the memory and a second shape in memory, comprising:

placing the stent onto one of the following: a temperature-controlled balloon catheter and a balloon catheter with an optical fibre, wherein the SMP material exists in the first temporary shape in memory;

inserting the stent into a desired position,

heating the stent by inserting a heated medium into the catheter or introducing light of a suitable wavelength to obtain the second temporary shape in memory; and

removing the balloon catheter.

15 . A method of removing an implanted stent, wherein the stent comprises an SMP material a first memory shape and a second memory shape, comprising:

inserting a balloon catheter into the implantation location,

inserting a heat medium into the balloon catheter to accomplish one of the following: heat the stent and introduce light of a suitable wavelength;

activating the shape memory effect by one of the following: the heating and the effect of light so that the stent is transferred from the second temporary shape in memory into a permanent shape; and

removing the balloon catheter, together with the stent.