| abstract |
The stent (120) with an eccentric coating (130) of the present invention provides a coating having a different coating thickness on the stent outer diameter and stent inner diameter, i.e., an eccentric coating. The eccentric coating can be the primary carrier for a drug or other therapeutic agent. The eccentric coating can be thicker on the stent outer diameter to supply more drug to the vessel wall in which the coated stent is deployed and less drug to the vessel lumen. In one embodiment, a cap coating (125) can be disposed on the eccentric coating to protect the eccentric coating, control the elution rate from the eccentric coating, provide an additional drug carrier, or provide combinations thereof. The eccentric coating can be applied by spraying a coating liquid on the stent outer diameter with a fixture mandrel interior to the stent to regulate the spray to the stent inner diameter. |