Table 5.

Patent database search strategy.

Database	Search Queries	Results
Questel-orbit	(((((shape-memory) or (shape memory)) and polymer+) or SMP+))/TI/AB/IW/CLMS/DESC/ODES/OBJ/TX and (A61C)/IPC	469
Espacenet	((((shape-memory) or (shape memory)) and polymer*) or SMP*), A61C	21
Patentscope	ALL:(((((shape-memory) or (shape memory)) and polymer*) or SMP*)) and IC_EX:A61C	7
		497