Drug delivery panel

A method for manufacturing an expandable implantable medical device, the method comprising the steps of,

• providing a radially expandable element having a central longitudinal axis and an outer surface;
• and
• electrostatically coupling a removable polymeric drug delivery element to at least a portion of the outer surface of the radially expandable element along the central longitudinal axis so that the removable polymeric drug delivery element extends along the central longitudinal axis from a first end portion to a second end portion of the radially expandable element to cover a portion of the outer surface along the longitudinal axis from the first end portion to the second end portion and to leave a remaining portion of the outer surface of the radially expandable element free of the removable polymeric drug delivery element.

A stent for hollow organ tissue contact and bioactive drug delivery comprising,

• an expandable tubular element having an inner passage, a longitudinal axis and an outer wall,
• at least one removable microporous polymeric panel element electrostatically coupled to at least a portion of the outer wall of the expandable tubular element along the longitudinal axis from a distal portion to a proximal portion of the expandable tubular element so that the outer surface of the expandable tubular element includes a longitudinally porous surface contact portion, the panel having at least a first surface profile and a second surface profile with each surface profile having a curvature substantially matching a surface profile to that of an arcuate outer wall shape of the outer wall of the expandable tubular element before and after deployment within the hollow organ targeted for therapeutic treatment, and
• a bioactive agent compounded into the microporous polymeric element, wherein upon expansion of the expandable tubular element at least one surface of the microporous polymeric panel element maintains continuous direct contact with an inner wall surface of a selected hollow organ within the body.

A medical device for administering a bioactive substance to a location within a fluid containing organ comprising,

• a microporous bioactive substance delivery panel attachable to a surface of a structure suitable for delivering the microporous bioactive substance delivery panel to the location within the fluid containing organ, the microporous bioactive substance delivery panel having a plurality of surfaces and a height dimension significantly less than a length dimension and a width dimension.

A microporous polymeric panel suitable for coupling to a surface of an implantable medical device for delivery of a selected bioactive agent held by the microporous polymeric panel to a lesion in a hollow fluid carrying organ, said microporous polymeric panel comprising:

• a first microporous structure suitable for holding said selected bioactive agent and capable of allowing cellular growth in said first microporous structure following elution of a portion of said selected bioactive agent into a portion of said hollow fluid carrying organ, said microporous polymeric panel is secured to said surface of said implantable device in a manner that does not depend on chemical bonding.