Bioerodible endoprostheses and methods of making the same

• US 8,080,055 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Atanasoska, Liliana, Weber, Jan, Warner, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stewart, Alvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sharma, Yashita
• Application Number:
  US11/964,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.34, 623/1.44, 623/1.46, 607/75, 600/13
• US Class Current: 623/1.38
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/022 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/14 Materials characterised by their function or physical properties , e.g. injectable or lubricating compositions, shape-memory materials, surface modified materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/148 Materials at least partially resorbable by the body

Abstract

A bioerodible endoprosthesis erodes by galvanic erosion that can provide, e.g., improved endothelialization and therapeutic effects.

Claims

1. A bioerodible endoprosthesis, comprising:

a body comprising a relatively electronegative material, the endoprosthesis having a plurality of sections along the length of the body, each section having a deposit of relatively electropositive material on the body to form a galvanic cell with the relatively electronegative material, the deposits of each section being spaced apart from each other, each section further comprising a current-controlling coating overlying the deposit to modulate the current or current density of the galvanic cell of each section as the endoprosthesis degrades, wherein the current-controlling coatings of each of the different sections have different thicknesses that vary along the length of the body in a stepwise manner to provide different currents or current densities in each section.

2. The endoprosthesis of claim 1, wherein the current-controlling coating controls exposure of at least one of the deposits of the relatively electropositive material to body fluid.

3. The endoprosthesis of claim 1, wherein the current density of at least one section increases as a function of time.

4. The endoprosthesis of claim 1, wherein the current-controlling coating of at least one section is a polymer, ceramic or metal.

5. The endoprosthesis of claim 1, wherein the electropositive material of each section is provided as a coating on the body.

6. The endoprosthesis of claim 1, wherein the electropositive materials of the different sections are substantially sequentially exposed to body fluid over time.