Patent ID: 8211085

Claim:
A method of treating an obstruction of a natural lumen through which a fluid naturally flows, comprising: providing a device comprising a non-biodegradable element, an expandable sleeve positioned along the non-biodegradable element, a cytoreductive agent positioned along the expandable sleeve, and a withdrawal thread; covering the expandable sleeve with a protective surface envelope to retain the sleeve in a non-expanded state; inserting the device in the natural lumen so that the non-biodegradable element is positioned in contact with the obstruction; breaking down and eliminating the protective surface envelope from the sleeve by direct contact of the envelope with an internal wall of the natural lumen, allowing the expandable sleeve to expand; treating the obstruction by expanding the sleeve where the protective surface envelope has been eliminated to provide a reductive effect through direct contact of the sleeve with the cells of the obstruction; ceasing reductive effect by ceasing direct contact between the sleeve and the cells of the obstruction; and non-traumatically removing the device from the natural lumen by the withdrawal thread, wherein the element is sufficiently flexible to conform to the natural lumen, but sufficiently rigid to maintain a channel for flow of the fluid in the lumen, said channel providing for passage of the fluid from upstream of the obstruction to downstream of the obstruction with respect to natural fluid flow; thereby opening the obstructed natural lumen and allowing the normal passage of fluid.