A method for making a vascular graft includes providing a PTFE green tube
extrudate which is un-sintered, and then initially expanding the
un-sintered extrudate to produce an initial node and fibril
micro-structure therein. This is followed by heating the extrudate to
raise the temperature thereof for a time period of sufficient duration
such that the extrudate is partially sintered. The partially sintered
extrudate is subsequently expanded to make the vascular graft. The
subsequent expansion produces a subsequent node and fibril
micro-structure in the vascular graft. An alternative method for making a
vascular graft includes providing a PTFE green tube extrudate which is
un-sintered, longitudinally expanding the un-sintered extrudate to form
an ePTFE tube structure, and radially expanding the un-sintered ePTFE
tube structure. ePTFE made according to the method is fabricated into
various structures, such as tube structures, filament structures, and
sheet structures.