Disclosed herein are stents with degradable part and/or sections of the
stent. The degradable portions of the disclosed stents can provide
increased surface area for a period of time for bioactive material
deposition or enhanced radiopacity at various locations along the length
of the stent. The stents of the present invention also can stent portions
of a vessel that are damaged by stent implantation but do not necessarily
require long term stenting by providing degradable end sections on the
stents of the present invention.