Patent ID: 9615948
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A61F,Y10T

Claim:
1. A stent delivery system comprising: a catheter; a balloon operably attached to the catheter; and a stent disposed on the balloon, the stent comprising a plurality of struts interconnected to form a tubular body, at least one of the struts comprising: a U-shaped strut having in cross-section a first leg, a second leg, and a closed end connecting the first leg and the second leg, the first leg is longer than the second leg in cross-section, wherein the first leg, the second leg, and the closed end define a recess having a drug release opening opposite the closed end, the recess is sized to release a drug from a drug coated at a first predetermined drug elution rate, and wherein the first leg, the second leg, and the closed end define a first fold therebetween, the first fold extending along a long axis of the U-shaped strut in a unitary metal ribbon, the first leg having a second fold angled at about 90 degrees with respect to the first leg to form a cap end at a distal end thereof, the cap end is disposed over the recess and the second leg to enclose a drug coating within the recess, the cap end and the second leg defining a delivery port in communication with the drug release opening, the delivery port being sized to release the drug from the drug coating at a second predetermined drug elution rate less than or equal to the first predetermined drug elution rate, and wherein the cap end comprises a portion of the unitary metal ribbon forming the first leg.