Thermoplastic medical device

1. A medical device comprising an elongate flexible element made from a first polymer which is a substituted poly(1,4-phenylene).

2. A medical device comprising an elongate flexible element made from a first polymer which is a substituted poly(1,4-phenylene) including a plurality of benzoyl substituted 1,4-phenylene units.

3. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is an intravascular guidewire.

4. The medical device of claim 3 , wherein the elongate flexible element is a core wire.

5. The medical device of claim 4 , wherein the core wire extends from a position proximate the proximal end of the guidewire to a position proximate the distal end of the guidewire.

6. The medical device of claim 4 , wherein the core wire comprises a plurality of elongate longitudinally extending threads made from the polymer.

7. The medical device of claim 4 , wherein a substantial length of the core wire has a circular cross sectional shape.

8. The medical device of claim 4 , wherein a substantial length of the core wire has a rectangular cross sectional shape.

9. The medical device of claim 4 , wherein a substantial length of the core wire has a cruciate cross sectional shape.

10. The medical device of claim 4 , wherein the elongate flexible element is a sleeve extending over the core wire.

11. The medical device of claim 10 , further comprising a second sleeve disposed on the first, the second sleeve made from the polymer.

12. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the sleeve is an extruded tube.

13. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the sleeve is a coil.

14. The medical device of claim 13 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a wound flat tape.

15. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the sleeve is a mesh.

16. The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the sleeve is a weave.

17. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a catheter.

18. The medical device of claim 17 , wherein the flexible elongate element is a sleeve.

19. The medical device of claim 18 , further comprising a second sleeve disposed on the first, the second sleeve made from the polymer.

20. The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the sleeve is an extruded tube.

21. The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the sleeve is a coil.

22. The medical device of claim 21 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a wound flat tape.

23. The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the sleeve is a mesh.

24. The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the sleeve is a weave.

25. The medical device of claim 18 , further comprising an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, the flexible elongate element comprising a plurality of elongate threads disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve.

26. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate flexible element comprises a blend of the first polymer and a second polymer.

27. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device comprises a second polymer, wherein the first polymer is not cross-linked and the second polymer is cross-linked.

28. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the medical device comprises a balloon.

29. The medical device of claim 28 , wherein the elongate flexible element is a balloon sleeve.

30. The medical device of claim 29 , wherein the balloon sleeve comprises a second polymer.

31. The medical device of claim 30 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are blended.

32. The medical device of claim 30 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are coextruded.

33. The medical device of claim 30 , wherein the first polymer is in a first layer and the second polymer is in a second layer.

34. The medical device of claim 33 , wherein the first layer has a distal varying thickness to create a first region having a first compliance and a second region having a second compliance less than the first compliance.

35. The medical device of claim 30 , wherein the first polymer comprises a mesh or weave disposed in a layer comprising the second polymer.

36. The medical device of claim 30 , wherein the first polymer is not cross-linked and the second polymer is cross-linked.

37. The medical device of claim 29 , wherein the medical device is an intravascular balloon catheter and the balloon sleeve has a thickness of 0.25 to 5.0 mil.

38. The medical device of claim 37 , wherein the balloon sleeve has a thickness of 0.3 to 1.0 mil.

39. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate member comprises a plurality of struts forming a stent.

40. The medical device of claim 39 , wherein the stent is a self-expanding stent.

41. The medical device of claim 39 , wherein the stent further comprises a hydrogel coating.

42. The medical device of claim 41 , wherein the hydrogel coating includes a therapeutic agent.

43. The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate member comprises a paramagnetic materials.

44. The medical device of claim 43 , wherein the paramagnetic material is gadolinium (III).

45. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a lubricous sheath disposed around the elongate member.

46. The medical device of claim 44 , wherein the lubricious sheath comprises a hydrogel polymer.

47. A medical device comprising a flexible elongate element, the flexible elongate element formed by the process comprising the steps of:

providing a first polymer comprising a thermoplastic rigid rod polymer;

providing a second polymer compatible with the first polymer;

co-extruding the first polymer with the second polymer; and

not cross-linking the first polymer while cross-linking the second polymer.

48. A medical device comprising a flexible elongate element, the flexible elongate element formed by the process comprising the steps of:

providing a first polymer comprising a thermoplastic rigid rod polymer;

providing a second polymer compatible with the first polymer;

co-extruding the first polymer with the second polymer; and

cross-linking both the first polymer and the second polymer.