Composite stent

Abstract

A bioremovable composite stent includes bioremovable polymer and bioremovable ceramic flakes generally coupled with adjacent layers of bioremovable polymer so as to make a resilient composite stent configured to move between a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration. In one embodiment, the composite stent may have a helical shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making bioremovable composite material comprising, coupling a first layer of bioremovable polymer that is substantially free or completely free of bioremovable ceramic material to a second layer of bioremovable polymer that includes flakes of bioremovable ceramic material embedded therein, wherein the bioremovable composite material is formed into a bioremovable stent. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising heating the first layer and the second layer to couple the first layer and the second layer together. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising solvating a surface of the first layer and coupling the second layer to the solvated surface of the first layer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fibers of bioremovable ceramic material embedded in the second layer of bioremovable polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of fibers of bioremovable ceramic material are directionally aligned. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising controlling a degradation rate of the bioremovable stent by selecting one or more of (i) a bioremovable polymer composition, (ii) a thickness of the first layer or the second layer, (iii) a thickness of the flakes of bioremovable ceramic material, or (iv) a porosity of the flakes of bioremovable ceramic material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first layer of bioremovable polymer or the second layer of bioremovable polymer comprises polyesters, polyols, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyethers, polysaccharides, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polylactides, polyglycolides, polycaprolactones, albumin, or copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the flakes of bioremovable ceramic material comprise calcium phosphate, bioactive glass or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the fibers of bioremovable ceramic material comprise calcium phosphate, bioactive glass or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the flakes of bioremovable ceramic material have pores and a bioactive agent is positioned in the pores. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising extruding the first layer, the second layer, or both. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising coextruding the first layer and the second layer. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising extruding a plurality of flakes of bioremovable ceramic material in a bioremovable polymer to form an extrudate, and forming a bioremovable stent from the extrudate. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein the flakes of bioremovable ceramic material comprise calcium phosphate, bioactive glass or combinations thereof and the bioremovable polymer comprises polyesters, polyols, polycarbonates, polyamides, polyethers, polysaccharides, polyhydroxyalkanoates, polylactides, polyglycolides, polycaprolactones, albumin, or copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of flakes of bioremovable ceramic material have pores and a bioactive agent is positioned in the pores.