Patent ID: 8323333

Claim:
A medical device having a body portion that includes a plurality of micro-structures connected to said body portion, said medical device is a stent, sheath, or balloon, at least a portion of said micro-structures includes a plurality of micro-needles that extend upwardly from an outer surface of said body portion, said protective material coated on said outer surface of said medical device and said plurality of micro-needles, said protective coating at least partially embedding said plurality of micro-needles in said protective coating so as to protect said plurality of micro-needles from damage prior to positioning said medical device at a treatment location, said protective material formed of a biodegradable material, said protective material formed of a different material composition than said plurality of micro-needles and said outer surface of said medical device, said plurality of micro-needles having a shape and size designed to penetrate into a treatment location of a body passageway when said body portion is expanded to an expanded cross-sectional area.