Expandable medical device for delivery of beneficial agent

Abstract

An expandable medical device having a plurality of elongated struts, the plurality of elongated struts being joined together to form a substantially cylindrical device which is expandable from a cylinder having a first diameter to a cylinder having a second diameter, and the plurality of struts each having a strut width in a circumferential direction. At least one of the plurality of struts includes at least one opening extending at least partially through a thickness of said strut. A beneficial agent may be loaded into the opening within the strut. The expandable medical device may further include a plurality of ductile hinges formed between the elongated struts, the ductile hinges allowing the cylindrical device to be expanded or compressed from the first diameter to the second diameter by deformation of the ductile hinges.

1 - 25 . (canceled)  
     
     
         26 . An expandable stent, comprising: 
 a tubular structure including an outer surface positionable adjacent to a vessel wall, an inner surface facing a lumen of a body passageway, a plurality of expansion struts that are substantially parallel to each other, connector struts, and cells, the tubular structure having a first diameter that permits intraluminal delivery of the tubular structure into the body passageway, and a second expanded and deformed diameter upon the application from the interior of the tubular member of a radially, outwardly extending force;    a plurality of cavities formed in the outer surface of the stent wherein the plurality of cavities are holes that extend from the outer surface through the inner surface, and wherein the holes are configured to provide a plurality of reservoirs for a substance; and    a substance contained in said reservoirs.    
     
     
         27 . The stent of  claim 26 , wherein the tubular structure is balloon expandable.  
     
     
         28 . The stent of  claim 26 , wherein the tubular structure is self-expandable.  
     
     
         29 . The stent of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the tubular structure is made of a shape memory alloy.  
     
     
         30 . The stent of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of cavities are substantially evenly positioned on the tubular structure.  
     
     
         31 . The stent of  claim 26 , wherein the holes have a cross-section that is smaller than a cross-section of a strut.  
     
     
         32 . The stent of  claim 26 , further comprising a plurality of holes that extend from the outer surface to an interior of the tubular structure without extending through the inner surface.  
     
     
         33 . The stent of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the holes extend perpendicular from the outer surface to an interior of the tubular structure.  
     
     
         34 . An expandable stent, comprising: 
 a tubular structure including an outer surface positionable adjacent to a vessel wall, an inner surface facing a lumen of a body passageway, a plurality of expansion struts that are substantially parallel to each other, connector struts, and cells, the tubular structure having a first diameter that permits intraluminal delivery of the tubular structure into the body passageway, and a second expanded and deformed diameter upon the application from the interior of the tubular member of a radially, outwardly extending force;    a plurality of cavities formed in the outer surface of the stent wherein the plurality of cavities are holes that extend from the outer surface through the inner surface, and wherein the holes are configured to provide a plurality of reservoirs for a substance; and    a substance disposed on at least a portion of the outer surface of the stent including and extending into at least a portion of the cavities contained in said reservoirs.    
     
     
         35 . The stent of  claim 34 , further comprising the substance disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface of the stent.  
     
     
         36 . The stent of  claim 34 , wherein the substance is a restenosis inhibiting agent.  
     
     
         37 . The stent of  claim 36 , wherein the restenosis inhibiting agent is selected from a drug and a polymer.  
     
     
         38 . The stent of  claim 36 , wherein the restenosis inhibiting agent is a combination of two agents.  
     
     
         39 . The stent of  claim 34 , wherein the tubular structure is balloon expandable.  
     
     
         40 . The stent of  claim 34 , wherein the tubular structure is self-expandable.  
     
     
         41 . The stent of  claim 34 , wherein at least a portion of the tubular structure is made of a shape memory alloy.  
     
     
         42 . The stent of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of cavities are substantially evenly positioned on the tubular structure.  
     
     
         43 . The stent of  claim 34 , wherein the holes have a cross-section that is smaller than a cross-section of a strut.