Methods of manufacturing polymeric intraluminal prostheses include annealing
the polymeric material to selectively modify the crystallinity thereof. Annealing
may be utilized to selectively modify various properties of the polymeric material
of an intraluminal prosthesis, including: selectively increasing the modulus of
the polymeric material; selectively increasing the hoop strength of the intraluminal
prosthesis; selectively modifying the elution rate (increase or decrease) of a
pharmacological agent subsequently disposed on or within the annealed polymeric
material; selectively increasing/decreasing stress in the intraluminal prosthesis;
and selectively modifying the polymeric material such that it erodes at a different rate.