Stent sheath for local drug delivery

摘要

This invention provides a sheath for encompassing at least a portion of a stent to locally deliver a drug to an arterial wall or lumen into which the stent has been inserted, comprising a polymer and a drug incorporated within the polymer, the polymer sheath encompassing at least a portion of the stent and a thickness to allow controlled release of the drug. Also provided is a method of preventing thrombosis and promoting and inhibiting vascular growth in a subject comprising inserting a stent encompassed by the sheath of the invention into a vessel of the subject.