Patent ID: 8333791

Claim:
A medical implant configured to deliver a therapeutic substance after a surgical procedure comprising: a tie configured to couple with one or more of a medical device and an anatomical structure after the medical device is implanted, the tie comprising: a strap, and a pawl configured to receive the strap to form a loop comprising at least a portion of the strap and at least a portion of the pawl, the strap including a removable distal end; and a time-release therapeutic substance incorporated with the tie; wherein the strap is retained in the pawl and prevented from moving out of the pawl as the strap is advanced into the pawl to lock the size of the loop at a progressively smaller size and at least a portion of the removable distal end of the strap is removed once the distal end is advanced through the pawl; and wherein the tie is configured to release at least a portion of the therapeutic substance after the surgical procedure is completed when the tie is exposed to an at least in part aqueous substance; and wherein the tie has at least a first set and a second set of pore openings for delivering the therapeutic substance, the first set of pore openings present on a surface of the tie and the second set of pore openings present within a body of the tie, the first set of pores having a smaller average diameter of pores as compared to the average diameter of pores of the second set of pores.