Drug eluting stent

Abstract

Stents having struts with narrowed portions are described. The narrowed portions have a coating disposed thereon for the local delivery of a drug.

1 . A stent comprising a strut segment including a first recess on an outer surface of the strut and a second recess on an inner surface of the strut, the recesses disposed on opposite sides of the strut segment from each other, wherein the recesses carry a coating substance.  
   
   
       2 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the coating substance includes a polymeric material.  
   
   
       3 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein a remaining portion of the strut segment is free from any coating.  
   
   
       4 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the coating substance includes a drug.  
   
   
       5 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein the strut segment has a rectangular, triangular, oval or circular cross-sectional shape.  
   
   
       6 . The stent of  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the coating substance does not extend beyond the surface of the strut segment.  
   
   
       7 . A method of manufacturing a stent, comprising depositing a coating on a stent, the stent including a strut segment having a First recess on an outer surface of the strut and a second recess on an inner surface of the strut, the recesses disposed on opposite sides of the strut segment from each other.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the coating includes a polymeric material.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a remaining portion of the strut segment is free from any coating.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the coating includes a drug.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the strut segment has a rectangular, triangular, oval or circular cross-sectional shape.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein an outer surface of the coating does not extend beyond the surface of the strut segment.  
   
   
       13 . A method of manufacturing a stent, comprising: 
 depositing a coating on a stent, the stent including a strut having a first segment, a second segment and a third segment located between the first and second segments, wherein the transverse cross-sectional area of the third segment is less than the transverse cross-sectional area of the first segment and the second segment, and wherein the strut includes a linear segment extending into a curved or bent segment, the first, second and third segments defining a part of the linear segment of the strut, wherein the curved or bent segment includes a notch carved out from the surface of the strut; and    removing the coating off of the first and second segments so that the coating remains on the third segment.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the coating includes a drug.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the strut has a rectangular, triangular, oval or circular cross-sectional shape.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein an outer surface of the coating does not extend beyond an outer surface of the strut.