Method and apparatus for loading a beneficial agent into an expandable medical device
AssigneeConor Medsystems, Inc.
InventorsStephen Hunter Diaz, Kinam Park
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for dispensing a beneficial agent into an expandable medical device. The method includes the step of placing an expandable medical device on a mandrel, the medical device forming a cylindrical device having a plurality of openings and dispensing a beneficial agent into the plurality of openings.
Claims76
A method for dispensing a beneficial agent into an expandable medical device, the method comprising:
- placing an expandable medical device on a mandrel, the medical device forming a cylindrical device having a plurality of openings;
- and
- dispensing a beneficial agent into the plurality of openings.
A method for loading a beneficial agent in an expandable medical device, the method comprising:
- dispensing a beneficial agent through a dispenser into a first opening in an expandable medical device;
- providing relative movement between the dispenser and the expandable medical device such that the dispenser is moved from alignment with the first opening in the expandable medical device to alignment with a second opening in the expandable medical device;
- and
- dispensing the beneficial agent into the second opening in the expandable medical device.
An apparatus for loading a beneficial agent in an expandable medical device, the apparatus comprising:
- a mandrel;
- an expandable medical device having a plurality of openings, the expandable medical device mounted on the mandrel;
- and
- a dispenser configured to dispense a beneficial agent into the plurality of openings in the expandable medical device.
A method for loading a stent with a beneficial agent, the method comprising:
- providing a stent with a plurality of holes;
- and
- dispensing a beneficial agent through a piezo-electric microjet into the plurality of holes.
An apparatus for loading a beneficial agent in a medical device having a plurality of openings, the apparatus comprising:
- a dispenser configured to dispense a beneficial agent into the plurality of openings in the medical device;
- an observation system configured to locate and identify the plurality of openings;
- and
- a central processing unit for controlling the dispensing of the beneficial agent into the openings of the medical device, wherein an amount and location of droplets of beneficial agent dispensed into each of the openings in the medical device is determined by the central processing unit based on information obtained from the observation system.
A system for controlling a delivery of a beneficial agent into a plurality of openings of a medical device, the system comprising:
- an observation system for mapping a medical device to obtain an actual position of a plurality of openings of the medical device;
- a central processing unit for comparing the actual position of the plurality of openings of the medical device to an anticipated position from a manufacturing specification;
- and
- a dispenser for dispensing a fluid beneficial agent into the plurality of openings.
A system for controlling a delivery of a beneficial agent into an opening, the system comprising:
- a mandrel having a plurality of expandable medical devices;
- a dispenser configured to dispense a first layer and a second layer of a beneficial agent into a plurality of openings in the expandable medical device;
- and
- a central processing unit for controlling the dispensing of the beneficial agent into the openings of the expandable medical device.
A method of removing stents from a mandrel, the method comprising:
- radially expanding the stents by injecting air into at least a portion of the mandrel to inflate the mandrel and expand the stents;
- deflating the mandrel;
- and
- sliding the expanded stents off the mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.