ASTM F3044 PDF

1.1 This test method covers conducting galvanic corrosion tests to characterize the behavior of two dissimilar metals in electrical contact that are to be used in the human body as medical implants or as component parts to medical implants. Examples of the types of devices that might be assessed include overlapping stents of different alloys, stent and stent marker combinations, orthopedic plates and screws where one or more of the screws are of a different alloy than the rest of the device, and multi-part constructs where two or more alloys are used for the various component parts. Devices which are to be partially implanted, but in long-term contact within the body (such as external fixation devices) may also be evaluated using this method.