Coated stent with ultrasound therapy
AssigneePharmasonics, Inc.
InventorsAxel F. Brisken, Robert Zuk, John McKenzie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for inhibiting hyperplasia following stent placement are provided. The stents will be coated with pharmaceutical agent(s) and the methods provide for directing vibrational energy at the implanted stents or the blood vessel walls or region of implantation. The vibrational energy can have one or more of several beneficial effects. The vibrational energy may directly inhibit hyperplasia, may effect or modulate release of agent from the stent, or may enhance permeability of the blood vessel wall.
Claims26
A method for inhibiting hyperplasia at a vascular treatment site, said method comprising:
- directing vibrational energy at the vascular treatment site, wherein a scaffold structure has been implanted at said site, said scaffold structure being coated with a pharmaceutical agent which is released into the site over time, wherein directing vibrational energy comprises positioning a transducer on a catheter at the vascular treatment site and driving the transducer to emit the vibrational energy at the same time as the scaffold structure is implanted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.