Stent assembly for the treatment of vulnerable plaque

An intravascular stent assembly for treating vulnerable plaque within a body lumen, comprising:

• a first polymeric sleeve in a tubular configuration having first and second ends, wherein its first end is attached to a first stent and its second end is attached to a second stent and a second polymeric sleeve in a tubular configuration having first and second ends, wherein its first end is attached to the second stent and its second end is attached to a third stent, and wherein a substantial portion of said polymeric sleeves are unsupported by a stent structure;
• wherein the polymeric sleeves are loaded with at least one therapeutic drug or agent and are configured to appose a vulnerable plaque region when the stent assembly is deployed within a body lumen having a region of vulnerable plaque.

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An intravascular stent assembly for treating vulnerable plaque within a body lumen, comprising:

• three stents interconnected by two polymeric sleeves having a tubular configuration wherein a substantial portion of said polymeric sleeves are unsupported by a stent structure;
• wherein the polymeric sleeves are loaded with at least one therapeutic drug or agent and are configured to appose a vulnerable plaque region when the stent assembly is deployed within a body lumen having a region of vulnerable plaque.