THERMAL TREATMENT OF AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• Main Authors: HOSSAINY, SYED, F.A, GADA, MANISH, TANG, YIWEN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 21.02.2007
• Subjects: APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; PROSTHESES; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS

A method of manufacturing an implantable medical device, such as a drug eluting stent, is disclosed. The method includes subjecting an implantable medical device that includes a polymer to a thermal condition. The thermal condition can result in reduction of the rate of release of an active agent from the device subsequent to the implantation of the device and/or improve the mechanical properties of a polymeric coating on the device.