Endoluminal Drug Applicator and Method of Treating Diseased Vessels of the Body

A surgical method for delivering at least one therapeutic agent to a treatment site of a vessel, valve, duct or bowel, the method comprising:

• a) providing a stent-graft configurable in both a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, said stent-graft including,
• i) an expandable stent, wherein a portion of said expandable stent defines a generally tubular structure in said expanded configuration,
• ii) a porous polymeric mesh that interfaces circumferentially about said portion of said stent and expandable with said stent, and
• iii) at least one therapeutic agent carried by said mesh;
• and
• b) locating said stent-graft at the treatment site in said expanded configuration such that it contacts the treatment site, whereby said at least one therapeutic agent is transferred to the treatment site by operation of contact between said stent-graft and the treatment site, wherein said mesh defines distal and proximal openings that allow for fluid flow through said stent-graft when said stent-graft is in said expanded configuration.