Medical devices coated with porous carbon and methods of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method of creating a porous carbon coating on a medical device by applying a precursor carbon material on the medical device and then pyrolysing the precursor carbon material by laser irradiation. The laser irradiation may be focused to carbonize only certain portions of the medical device and any uncarbonized areas can be removed by solvent washing. Also provided is a medical device having a carbonized coating created according to the method of the present invention.

1 . A medical device with a porous carbon coating on a portion of the medical device, wherein the portion is less than the entire surface of the medical device, and wherein the porous carbon coating carries a therapeutic agent and provides for directionally controlled release of the therapeutic agent. 
   
   
       2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a stent. 
   
   
       3 . The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein the portion is the outer diameter surface of the stent. 
   
   
       4 . The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein the portion is the inner diameter surface of the stent. 
   
   
       5 . The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein the porous carbon coating is only on the outer diameter surface, only on the inner diameter surface, or only on the sidewalls of the stent. 
   
   
       6 . The medical device of  claim 5 , wherein the porous carbon coating is only on the outer diameter surface of the stent. 
   
   
       7 . The medical device of  claim 5 , wherein the porous carbon coating is only on the inner diameter surface of the stent. 
   
   
       8 . The medical device of  claim 5 , wherein the porous carbon coating is only on the sidewalls of the stent. 
   
   
       9 . The medical device of  claim 2 , wherein the porosity of the porous carbon coating at a first site on the stent is different from the porosity at a second site on the stent.