Miniaturized NiTi Micro-Stents for Ultra-Small Vessels: Sputter Deposition as a Platform Technology

The realization of miniaturized medical implants for the treatment of vascular diseases in extremely small blood vessels represents a major challenge for material science and process technology. Acquandas GmbH, as an contract manufacturer, demonstrates with this project the successful development and fabrication of self-expanding NiTi micro-stents specifically designed for retinal veins with diameters as small as 50 µm.

These stents are designed to restore and stabilize blood flow in the smallest ocular vessels, where this is limited with conventional manufacturing technologies.

A central innovation is the use of advanced sputter deposition technology, which enables the precise application of functional thin films and surface modifications on micro-scale structures.

This project serves as a model for the successful implementation of miniaturized components in medical technology. The modularity and adaptability of the sputter-based manufacturing process make it highly transferable to other fields where small structures are required—such as neurovascular implants—where precision, biocompatibility, and functional integration are critical.

The collaboration between Acquandas and its partners highlights the transformative potential of advanced sputter deposition for next-generation medical devices, paving the way for broader industrial and clinical applications.