The Nickel Free Vascular Alloy for Implants 
Studies show that approximately 13 % of the population are allergic to nickel with a strong upward trend. Other people suffer from cobaltism. Therefore, MeKo has developed an implant alloy especially dedicated to vascular applications like stents. VASCULOY® improves the biocompatibility through freedom of nickel and freedom of cobalt.
VASCULOY® - The vascular alloy you can rely on.
While many areas of application have already focused on using nickel-free alloys, up to now there has not been a suitable material for implants. A nickel allergy can lead to complications such as an increased rate of restenosis with implanted stents.
But now in January 2020, the first 36 stents made of VASCULOY® were implanted at a specialized center for cardiology in Bangalore, India. "We see a great need in this area, and are giving medical companies the opportunity to implement their ideas, using a material that's well-tolerated by all patients," explained MeKo owner Dr. Meyer-Kobbe.
The mechanical properties of VASCULOY® like strength and break elongation are superior to 316L (316LVM) and comparable to L605. As a matter of principle the recent L605 stent designs can be switched to VASCULOY® without design changes. Therefore, stent designs with thin struts, high flexibility and positive clinical results are ensured.
The corrosion resistance of VASCULOY® is far better in comparison to 316L (316LVM) and L605. The Protection Potential, an important attribute for stents, is significantly higher. The reduced ion release of VASCULOY® is a great advantage for stents.
VASCULOY® is MRI compatible. Compared to 316L (316LVM), the artifacts are reduced by 55 %.
The biocompatibility of VASCULOY® has been proven with no limitation or restrictions.
Truly nickel free, VASCULOY® is superior to all commonly used implant materials.
For nickel-allergic persons the restenosis rate will be reduced.
VASCULOY® is produced utilizing high quality melting processes to assure microstructural integrity and cleanliness. These features facilitate brilliant products with a high-quality surface finish. In combination with the excellent mechanical properties, superior corrosion resistance, MRI-compatibility and unrestricted biocompatibility outstanding stent performances are ensured, differentiating VASCULOY® from other stent materials.
Mechanical Properties
MRI compatibility
Corrosion test data from cyclic potentiodynamic polarization measurements
Biocompatibility investigations according to ISO 10993
