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The stent has up to a 30% slower release rate and is robust and highly reproducible. It can also deliver numerous medications and may have broader uses beyond stents.
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Summary ISU researchers developed a novel method to create nano-patterned stents that allow for a dramatic increase in drug release duration. Two major problems of stents are i) thrombosis or clotting of platelets and ii) restenosis - a narrowing of the artery after stent use. A common strategy to relieve thrombosis and restenosis is to utilize drug eluting stents, which are coated with anti-clotting medication. The drug is slowly released into the bloodstream. The medication relieves rejection of the implanted stents. ISU researchers have developed a novel method to control the release of medication from such drug eluting stents utilizing bio-degradable stent materials such as polymer poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA), which is a candidate for polymer stents. A method to create nanoscale patterning (with sub micrometer pitch) on bio-compatible polymers using a robust transfer molding approach was developed. The release of the immunosuppressant drug (sirolimus or rapamycin) from patterned and unpatterned (flat) polymer surfaces was measured. Significantly slower release rates (10-30%) were observed from nano-patterned surfaces than from flat surfaces.