Nanoporous stents with improved radiolucency

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to medical devices with therapy eluting components and methods for making same. More specifically, the invention relates to implantable medical devices having at least one porous layer, and methods for making such devices, and loading such devices with therapeutic agents. A mixture or alloy is placed on the surface of a medical device, then one component of the mixture or alloy is generally removed without generally removing the other components of the mixture or alloy. In some embodiments, a porous layer is adapted for bonding non-metallic coating, including drug eluting polymeric coatings. A porous layer may have a random pore structure or an oriented or directional grain porous structure. One embodiment of the invention relates to medical devices, including vascular stents, having at least one porous layer adapted to resist stenosis or cellular proliferation without requiring elution of therapeutic agents. The invention also includes methods, devices, and specifications for loading of drugs and other therapeutic agents into nanoporous coatings.

1 . A medical device for insertion into a body, the medical device comprising a porous surface exhibiting greater radiolucency compared to the same medical device lacking the porous surface.  
   
   
       2 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 1 , wherein the porous surface is a nanoporous surface.  
   
   
       3 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 1 , wherein the porous surface is a dealloyed surface.  
   
   
       4 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 3 , wherein the dealloyed surface is a nanoporous surface.  
   
   
       5 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a stent.  
   
   
       6 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 5 , wherein the stent is a coronary stent.  
   
   
       7 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 1 , wherein the medical device lacks an elutable therapeutic agent.  
   
   
       8 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 4 , wherein the nanoporous surface contains at least one therapeutic agent.  
   
   
       9 . The medical device for insertion into a body as in  claim 8 , wherein the at least one therapeutic agent is selected from a group consisting of: actinomycin-D, batimistat, c-myc antisense, dexamethasone, paclitaxel, taxanes, sirolimus, tacrolimus and everolimus, unfractionated heparin, low-molecular weight heparin, enoxaprin, bivalirudin, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, Gleevec, wortmannin, PDGF inhibitors, AG1295, rho kinase inhibitors, Y27632, calcium channel blockers, amlodipine, nifedipine, and ACE inhibitors, synthetic polysaccharides, ticlopinin, dipyridamole, clopidogrel, fondaparinux, streptokinase, urokinase, r-urokinase, r-prourokinase, rt-PA, APSAC, TNK-rt-PA, reteplase, alteplase, monteplase, lanoplase, pamiteplase, staphylokinase, abciximab, tirofiban, orbofiban, xemilofiban, sibrafiban, roxifiban, ABT-578, CCI-779, biolimus-A9, temsirolimus, anti-CD34 antibodies, mycophenolic acid, Vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, tempamine, and docetaxel, an agent for altering cytochrome P450 function, cyclosporine, an azole antifungal agent, itraconazole, ketoconazole, a macrolide antibiotic, clarithromycin, erythromycin, troleandomycin, an non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, delavirdine, a protease inhibitor, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, ritonavir, grapefruit juice extract, mifepristone, nefazodone, an anti-restenosis agent, an anti-thrombogenic agent, an antibiotic, an anti-platelet agent, an anti-clotting agent, an anti-inflammatory agent, an anti-neoplastic agent, a chelating agent, penicillamine, triethylene tetramine dihydrochloride, EDTA, DMSA (succimer), deferoxamine mesylate, a radiocontrast agent, a radio-isotope, a prodrug, antibody fragments, antibodies, live cells, therapeutic drug delivery microspheres or microbeads, gene therapy agents, viral vectors and plasmid DNA vectors.