Patent ID: 8613877

Claim:
A method for fabricating a stent comprising: forming a suspension solution including a fluid, a polymer and bioceramic particles, wherein the polymer is dissolved in the fluid, and wherein the bioceramic particles are dispersed in the solution; spraying the suspension solution to form a plurality of droplets; allowing at least some of the polymer to separate from the fluid in the droplets as the fluid in the droplets evaporates, wherein at least some of the bioceramic particles separate with the polymer to form a composite mixture, the composite mixture comprising the separated bioceramic particles dispersed within the separated polymer; and fabricating a stent from the composite mixture, wherein fabricating the 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.