Hollow drug-filled stent and method of forming hollow drug-filled stent

摘要

A stent is formed from a wire having an outer member, a radiopaque member lining at least a portion of the outer member inner surface, and a lumen defined by the outer member inner surface or the radiopaque member inner surface. A substance is disposed in the lumen to be eluted through at least one opening disposed through the outer member to the lumen. The radiopaque member may be substantially continuous along the length of the wire or disposed only along portions of the wire such as crowns. In a method for making the stent, a composite wire including an outer member, a radiopaque intermediate member, and a core member is shaped into a stent pattern and processed to remove the core member and optionally portions of the radiopaque intermediate member, without damaging the outer member.

主权项

1. A stent comprising:
a hollow wire formed into a stent pattern, the wire having a wire outer surface and a wire inner surface, the wire inner surface defines a wire lumen, wherein prior to implantation in a body lumen the wire includes, a radiopaque member lining at least a portion of the wire inner surface, the radiopaque member having a radiopaque member inner surface and a radiopaque member outer surface contacting the wire inner surface, a radiopaque member lumen defined by the radiopaque member inner surface and extending longitudinally within the radiopaque member at the portions of the wire inner surface lined by the radiopaque member and defined by the wire inner surface at any portions of the wire inner surface not lined by the radiopaque member, a biologically or pharmacologically active substance disposed in the radiopaque member lumen, and at least one opening disposed through the wire outer and inner surfaces to the wire lumen or through the wire outer and inner surfaces and the radiopaque member to the radiopaque member lumen.