Methods of treatment with biodegradation of a stent scaffolding
Disclosed is a stent comprising a bioabsorbable polymeric scaffolding; and a plurality of depots in at least a portion of the scaffolding, wherein the plurality of depots comprise a bioabsorbable material, wherein the degradation rate of all or substantially all of the bioabsorbable polymer of the scaffolding is faster than the degradation rate of all or substantially all of the bioabsorbable material of the depots.
1. A method of treating stenosis in a blood vessel of a patient comprising:
providing a bioabsorbable stent including a cylindrically-shaped scaffolding and a coating on an inner side and an outer side of the scaffolding, wherein the scaffolding includes a first bioabsorbable polymer including poly(L-lactide) and the coating includes a second bioabsorbable polymer and a drug, wherein the scaffolding is composed of a pattern of interconnected struts formed by laser cutting the pattern into a tube, wherein the stent is mounted over a balloon in a crimped state that is compressed from a cut state,
introducing the mounted stent into a blood vessel of a patient in need of treatment for atherosclerotic stenosis;
transporting the mounted stent to a site of stenosis in the blood vessel; and
expanding and implanting the mounted stent at the site of stenosis by inflating the balloon which expands the site of stenosis in the blood vessel,
wherein the implanted stent delivers the drug to the wall of the blood vessel, maintains patency of the blood vessel at the site for a period of time, becomes endothelialized within a wall of the blood vessel, and is made to completely disappear by degradation or degrade with negligible traces of polymer or residue left behind.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drug comprises an antiproliferative agent.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drug comprises everolimus, rapamycin, and/or derivatives thereof.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the patient has a disorder including type I diabetes or type II diabetes.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the site of stenosis comprises a vulnerable lesion including a thin-capped fibroatheromatous lesion.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bioabsorbable stent remains in the patient for a period of 6 to 24 months.
7. A method of treating a blood vessel of a patient, the method comprising:
deploying a first stent at a treatment area in a blood vessel of a patient in need of treatment for atherosclerotic stenosis, wherein the first stent comprises a cylindrically-shaped scaffolding and a coating on an inner side and an outer side of the scaffolding, wherein the scaffolding includes a first bioabsorbable polymer including poly(L-lactide) and the coating includes a second bioabsorbable polymer and a drug, wherein the scaffolding is composed of a pattern of interconnected struts formed by laser cutting the pattern into a tube,
wherein a degradation rate of all or substantially all of the first bioabsorbable polymer differs from a degradation rate of all or substantially all of the second bioabsorbable polymer;
wherein the first stent becomes endothelialized in a wall of the blood vessel and delivers a drug to the treatment area; and
deploying a second stent in at least a portion of the treatment area, wherein when the second stent is deployed in the treatment area, a functional blood vessel diameter of the treatment area is not reduced.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second stent does not include a coating or a drug.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second stent comprises a biodegradable scaffolding.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second stent comprises a biostable scaffolding made of metal.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein an anti-inflammatory agent is mixed or dispersed within the scaffolding of the first stent.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the drug is an anti-inflammatory agent that is delivered from the coating material of the first stent.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the anti-inflammatory agent is clobetasol.
14. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first stent comprises an anti-proliferative agent.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the anti-proliferative agent is everolimus, rapamycin, and/or derivatives thereof.
16. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second stent is deployed when the scaffolding of the first stent is completely degraded.
17. The method of claim 7 , wherein the coating of the first stent delivers the drug when the second stent is deployed.
18. The method of claim 7 , wherein the coating of the first stent delivers the drug during degradation of the scaffolding.