Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be
coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's
reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The
medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials.
Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the
biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical
device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further
reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the
medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs,
agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the
formation of blood clots. Also, the devices may be modified to promote
endothelialization. Various materials and coating methodologies may be
utilized to maintain the drugs, agents or compounds on the medical device
until delivered and positioned. In addition, the devices utilized to
deliver the implantable medical devices may be modified to reduce the
potential for damaging the implantable medical device during deployment.
Medical devices include stents, grafts, anastomotic devices, perivascular
wraps, sutures and staples. In addition, various polymer combinations may
be utilized to control the elution rates of the therapeutic drugs, agents
and/or compounds from the implantable medical devices.