Patent ID: 7713573

Claim:
A method of loading a porous medical device with a therapeutic agent, comprising the steps of: providing at least a component of a medical device having a porous zone, the porous zone comprising an interstitial structure, an interstitial space, an average depth, and an average pore diameter; displacing any gaseous material within the interstitial space with a vapor from a first solvent; and filing at least a portion of the interstitial space with a therapeutic agent, wherein the therapeutic agent comprises a therapeutic substance and a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a second solvent, wherein the second solvent has a sufficient solubility product for the therapeutic agent but a vapor pressure less than water, wherein the filling step is performed at a vapor pressure generally between the vapor pressure of the first solvent but less than water, further comprising exposing at least a portion of the interstitial space of the medical device to an aqueous solution with a low solubility product for the therapeutic agent, wherein the exposing step is performed after the filling step.