Method and apparatus for treating vulnerable coronary plaques using drug-eluting stents

28) A method for treating vulnerable plaque in a vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) identifying the location of the vulnerable plaque in the vessel;
• b) delivering a drug-eluting intravascular stent comprising a tubular configuration of structural members to the location of the vulnerable plaque, the intravascular stent comprising a drug-eluting layer coated over at least a portion of the intravascular stent structural members, the drug-eluting layer comprising an anti-restenosis agent and a biodegradable layer covering at least a portion of the drug-eluting layer, the biodegradable layer being adapted to slowly erode over a preset period of time, the biodegradable layer also being adapted to prevent release of therapeutic amounts of the anti-restenosis agent from the drug-eluting layer during the preset period of time;
• c) deploying the intravascular stent into the wall of the vessel over the location of the vulnerable plaque;
• and
• d) causing therapeutic amounts of the anti-restenosis agent to elute from the drug-eluting layer into the location of the vulnerable plaque after the preset period of time.