Stents with a diamond like coating

Abstract

An intravascular metal stent having a tubular wall and a biocompatible coating on at least a major part of the wall surface which coating has a thickness of less than 4 μm and contains a diamond like amorphous material, preferably DLN.

1 . An intravascular stent having a tubular wall and a biocompatible coating on at least a major part of the wall surface, said coating having a thickness of less than 4 μm and containing a diamond like nanocomposite (DLN) material, said nanocomposite material comprising two interpenetrating networks of a-C:H and a-Si:O.  
     
     
         2 . A stent according to  claim 1  wherein the stent wall is a radially expandable metal mesh or metal spring structure.  
     
     
         3 . A stent according to  claim 1  wherein the material comprises 30 to 70 at % of C, 20 to 40 at % of H, 5 to 15 at % of Si and 5 to 15% of O.  
     
     
         4 . A stent according to  claim 1  wherein the material closest to the wire surface is a nanocomposite DLN-material comprising interpenetrating networks of a-C:H and a-Si:O and wherein this material is covered with a transition layer comprising a mixture of said nanocomposite DLN and a diamond like carbon (DLC) layer and further with a DLC-layer.  
     
     
         5 . A stent according to  claim 2  wherein the metal structure is a polished stainless steel structure.