Patent ID: 8192665

Claim:
A method for fabricating a stent comprising: forming a suspension solution including a first fluid, a polymer and bioceramic particles, wherein the polymer is dissolved in the first fluid, and wherein the bioceramic particles are dispersed in the solution; combining the suspension solution with a second fluid to form a fluid mixture, wherein the second fluid is a poor solvent for the polymer and is immiscible with the first fluid so that the fluid mixture comprises a second fluid phase and suspension solution phase; spraying the fluid mixture to form a plurality of droplets; allowing at least some of the polymer to separate from the fluid in the droplets, wherein at least some of the bioceramic particles separate with the polymer to form a composite mixture, the composite mixture comprising the removed bioceramic particles dispersed within the removed polymer; and fabricating a stent from the composite mixture, wherein fabricating a stent comprises extruding the composite mixture above the melting point (Tm) of the polymer to form a polymer tube, wherein the extruded composite mixture is conveyed through a die and into a water bath at a temperature below 25 deg C., and wherein the stent is fabricated from the tube.