Process for coating a portion of an implantable medical device

1. A method of coating a first surface of a device comprising the first surface and a second surface, the method comprising:

applying a mask to the first surface,

forming a covering of solid carbon dioxide on the second surface,

removing the mask from the first surface,

applying a first coating to the first surface, and

removing the covering of solid carbon dioxide from the second surface, wherein the covering of solid carbon dioxide is removed subsequent to applying the coating to the first surface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a stent.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first surface is an abluminal surface of the stent.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first surface is a luminal surface of the stent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises applying a second coating over the first coating.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises applying a second coating to the device, the device comprising a porous material.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first coating comprises a therapeutic agent.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first coating further comprises a polymeric material.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first coating further comprises a biodegradable material.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the therapeutic agent comprises an immunosuppressive agent.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the therapeutic agent comprises paclitaxel.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the therapeutic agent comprises an mTOR inhibitor.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises applying a second coating over the first coating, and wherein the second coating comprises a porous material.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first coating is applied by a spray method.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first coating is applied by ultrasonic spray deposition.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises keeping the device and solid carbon dioxide below a sublimation temperature of the solid carbon dioxide during the application of the coating.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises placing the device and the solid carbon dioxide in a vacuum chamber at a reduced pressure before removing the solid carbon dioxide.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mask comprises an elastomeric material.

19. A method of coating a luminal surface of a stent comprising an abluminal surface and a luminal surface, the method comprising:

placing the stent onto a mandrel to mask the luminal surface of the stent;

placing a portion of the mandrel attached to the stent into a cavity of a masking body;

forming a plug of solid carbon dioxide on the abluminal surface;

removing the mandrel from the stent and plug of solid carbon dioxide; and

applying a coating to the luminal surface of the stent.

20. A method of coating an abluminal surface of a stent comprising the abluminal surface and a luminal surface, the method comprising:

placing the stent into a cavity formed in a masking body, wherein the cavity masks the abluminal surface and the masking body comprises an elastomeric material;

placing a mandrel in the center of the cavity and the stent so that the cavity, stent, and mandrel are approximately concentrically spaced;

forming a plug of solid carbon dioxide in the cavity of the masking body so that the plug covers the luminal surface of the stent;

removing the stent and the plug of solid carbon dioxide from the cavity in the masking body;

applying a coating to the abluminal surface of the stent; and

warming the stent and the solid plug of carbon dioxide to cause the solid carbon dioxide to sublimate.