Patent ID: 8541028

Claim:
A method for preparing a device comprising an agent, comprising (a) admixing at least one polymer and at least one agent to produce an admixture; (b) processing the admixture to produce a device of a desired shape, wherein the device comprises at least two exposed surfaces; and (c) contacting the device with a sufficient amount of a fluid for a sufficient time to change the surface morphology of the polymer; wherein the fluid diffuses into the outer layer of the polymer to gel the polymer thereby producing a smoother surface coating on the device, wherein at least one exposed surface or least one part of at least one exposed surface of the device is not contacted with the fluid; wherein steps (a) and (b) do not involve the use of a solvent; and wherein the fluid consists essentially of methylene chloride, chloroform, acetone, anisole, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, N-methyl-2- pyrrolidone, hexafluoroisopropanol, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylsulfoxide, 2-pyrollidone, triethyl citrate, ethyl lactate, propylene carbonate, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, Miglyol 810, isopropanol, ethanol, super critical carbon dioxide, or acetonitrile, or a mixture thereof.