Non-thrombogenic stent jacket

Abstract

Disclosed is the use of serous tissue, such as pericardium, as a component of intracorporeal implants. Particularly, disclosed is a jacketed stent assembly comprising an expandable stent provided with a jacket of processed serous tissue which, in some embodiments, is impregnated with a therapeutic or diagnostic agent. In a preferred embodiment, the jacket of the expandable stent is formed of pericardial tissue, preferably bovine or porcine pericardial tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stent assembly, comprising:
 an expandable stent shaped as a hollow cylinder; and   functionally associated with said expandable stent, a stent jacket comprising a thin serous membrane, the membrane comprising a smooth inner cell layer and a thin outer fibrous layer, wherein said thin serous membrane has a thickness of about 0.05 mm to about 0.20 mm,   wherein the stent is positioned coaxially within the stent jacket.   
     
     
         2 . The stent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said jacket is fit about an outer surface of said expandable stent. 
     
     
         3 . The stent assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a therapeutic or diagnostic agent releasably contained within said stent jacket. 
     
     
         4 . The stent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the thin serous membrane has a thickness of about 0.1 mm to about 0.15 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The stent assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the stent jacket has a folded or overlapping wrapped configuration when applied to the stent. 
     
     
         6 . A method of producing the stent assembly of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing a sheet of serous membrane, the membrane including a smooth inner cell layer and an outer fibrous layer;   thinning said sheet of serous membrane by removing a portion of said outer fibrous layer thereby making a sheet of thinned serous membrane having a thickness of about 0.05 mm to about 0.20 mm, wherein the thinned serous membrane comprises cells;   associating said sheet of thinned serous membrane with an expandable stent shaped as a hollow cylinder, thereby producing the stent assembly, wherein the stent is positioned coaxially within the thinned serous membrane.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said thinning is effected by at least one method selected from the group consisting of peeling and shaving. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said associating includes wrapping said sheet about said expandable stent. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 impregnating said sheet of thinned serous membrane with a liquid containing a therapeutic or diagnostic agent.