Sacrificial anode stent system

1. A method for treating a brain aneurysm, comprising:

providing a sacrificial anode stent delivery system having a stent and a vaso-occlusive device, the stent being coated with at least one therapeutic agent, and the stent comprising at least one sacrificial anode portion wherein the at least one sacrificial anode portion is affixed to the stent;

providing the vaso-occlusive device with at least one portion with a corrosion potential different from that of the sacrificial anode portion of the stent;

providing a power source that is in electrical communication with the sacrificial anode portion;

inserting the stent within a body lumen;

advancing the stent delivery system to the brain aneurysm;

deploying the stent within the body lumen;

placing the vaso-occlusive coil within the brain aneurysm;

applying a voltage potential from the power source through an electrical pathway to the sacrificial anode portion;

corroding the sacrificial anode portion.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sacrificial anode portion is positioned at at least one of a proximal end of the stent and a distal end of the stent.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sacrificial anode stent delivery system includes a plurality of sacrificial anode portions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sacrificial anode stent delivery system includes a plurality of sacrificial anode portions wherein the sacrificial anode portions are positioned at at least one of a proximal end of the stent and a distal end of the stent.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sacrificial anode stent delivery system comprises a plurality of sacrificial anode portions, the sacrificial anode portions provided in the form of tabs extending from one or both ends of the stent.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the stent comprises radiopaque portions.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the sacrificial anode stent delivery system comprises a plurality of sacrificial anode portions, the sacrificial anode portions and the radiopaque portions provided in the form of tabs extending from one or both ends of the stent.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the vaso-occlusive device is in the form of a coil.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vaso-occlusive device is in the form of a Guglielmi electrolytically detachable coil.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the coil includes platinum and a non-sacrificial portion of the stent includes stainless steel.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the sacrificial anode portion is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, aluminum, mild steel, low alloy steel, and iron or any combination thereof.

12. A method for treating a brain aneurysm, comprising:

providing a stent and a medical device, each having at least one metal portion, the stent being coated with at least one therapeutic agent;

providing the metal portion of the stent with a corrosion potential different from that of the metal portion of the medical device;

selecting from either the stent or the medical device having a sacrificial anode portion of a different corrosion potential from that of a non-sacrificial portion of the stent or the medical device respectively;

providing a power source that is in electrical communication with the sacrificial anode portion;

inserting the stent within a body lumen;

advancing the stent delivery system to the brain aneurysm;

deploying the stent within the body lumen;

placing the medical device within the brain aneurysm;

applying a voltage potential from the power source through an electrical pathway to the sacrificial anode portion;

corroding the sacrificial anode portion.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the medical device is a coil and the sacrificial anode portion is part of the stent.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the coil includes platinum and the non-sacrificial portion of the stent includes stainless steel.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the sacrificial anode portion is selected from the group consisting of magnesium, zinc, aluminum, mild steel, low alloy steel, and iron or any combination thereof.