Biodegradable stent

摘要

An expandable, biodegradable stent for use within a body lumen comprises a hollow tube made from a copolymer of L-lactide and ∈-caprolactone that is not plastically expandable at normal body temperatures, and that is expandable using thermo-mechanical means at a temperature between about 38-55°C using a balloon catheter. The invention also relates to a method of making such a stent and to a method of deploying such a stent within the body.