Methods of polymeric stent surface smoothing and resurfacing to reduce biologically active sites

摘要

The present invention provides methods for fabricating a stent using a chemical treatment to smooth, polish or strengthen the stent. One such treatment involves exposing the stent to acetone or a similar solvent. In certain embodiments, the additional step comprises placing the stent in a bath containing acetone, or a similar solvent, where the bath also contains the polymer the stent is composed of. The acetone bath step may be conducted at a temperature that is below the glass transition temperature. The present invention also provides for methods of fabricating a stent using an acetone bath that comprises poly (lactic) acid. Other embodiments provide for methods of fabricating a stent using an acetone bath that comprises poly (lactic) acid and polyethylene glycol.

主权项

1. A method of decreasing a surface reactivity of a polymeric stent, said method comprising:
fabricating a biodegradable polymeric stent using polylactic acid (PLA), the stent having a surface; preparing a bath comprising PLA-polyethylene glycol (PEG) diblock copolymers dissolved in acetone, the concentration of the PLA-PEG diblock copolymers dissolved in the acetone being 5% weight/volume; and immersing at least part of the biodegradable polymeric stent into a said bath for a period of time; wherein the sharp surfaces and/or irregularities on the surface of the biodegradable polymeric stent are reduced or eliminated and thereby decrease the surface reactivity of the polymeric stent.