.[.A braided stent (1) for transluminal implantation in body lumens is
self-expanding and has a radial expanded configuration in which the angle
.alpha. between filaments is acute. Some or all of filaments (6,7) are
welded together in pairs at each end (4,5) of the stent to provide beads
(8), thereby strengthening the stent and assisting its deployment from a
delivery device. The stent is preferably completely coated using a
biocompatible polymeric coating, said polymer preferably having pendant
phosphoryl choline groups. A method of making the stent by braiding and
welding is described as well as a delivery device for deploying the
device..]. .Iadd.The present invention provides a biocompatible
crosslinked coating and a crosslinkable coating polymer composition for
forming such a coating. The biocompatible crosslinked coating may be
formed by curing a polymer of 23 mole % (methacryloyloxy
ethyl)-2-(trimethylammonium ethyl) phosphate inner salt, 47 mole % lauryl
methacrylate, 5 mole % .gamma.trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate and 25
mole % of hydroxy propyl methacrylate. The crosslinkable coating polymer
may include 23 mole % (methacryloyloxy ethyl)-2-(trimethylammonium ethyl)
phosphate inner salt, 47 mole % lauryl methacrylate, 5 mole %
.gamma.trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate and 25 mole % of hydroxy
propyl methacrylate..Iaddend.