Method of Forming a Drug-Eluting Medical Device

Abstract

A method of forming a stent includes the steps of forming a composite member into a stent pattern, forming openings through an outer member of the composite member, processing the composite member to remove a portion of the composite member without adversely affecting the outer member, and swaging the outer member to create a plurality of lumens. The composite member may be formed of an outer member with an hourglass-shaped inner member, wherein the processing step removes the inner member and the swaging step forms two lumens from the hourglass shaped cavity. The composite member may be formed of an outer member, an inner member, and an intermediate member, wherein the processing step removes the intermediate member and the swaging step presses portions of the outer member into contact with the inner member to form two lumens separated by the inner member.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A method of forming a stent comprising the steps of:
 utilizing a wire having an outer member and an internal support structure dividing an internal lumen of the wire into a plurality of lumens;   shaping the wire into a stent pattern;   forming openings through the outer member to at least one of the lumens; and   filling the plurality of lumens with at least one biologically or pharmacologically active substance.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the internal support structure is formed from portions of the outer member. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of lumens are similarly shaped. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least two of the plurality of lumens are shaped differently from each other. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the internal support structure is a honeycomb shaped structure forming the plurality of internal lumens. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30  further comprising at least one opening through at least one wall of the honeycomb structure so as to permit the at least one biologically or pharmacologically active substance to move between at least one internal lumen to at least one opening through the outer member. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of filling a first lumen with a first biologically or pharmacologically active substance and filling a second lumen with a second biologically or pharmacologically active substance, wherein the first and second biologically or pharmacologically active substances are different. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the first and second biologically or pharmacologically active substances are selected from the group consisting of antineoplastic, antimitotic, antiinflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, anti fibrin, antithrombin, antiproliferative, antibiotic, antioxidant, and antiallergic substances as well as combinations thereof.