Medical Devices, Drug Coatings and Methods for Maintaining the Drug Coatings Thereon

Abstract

Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. Various materials and coating methodologies may be utilized to maintain the drugs, agents or compounds on the medical device until delivered and positioned.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a continuation application of copending U.S. Ser. No. 11 / 437,572, filed May 19, 2006, which is in turn a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 636,435 filed Aug. 7, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,550, which is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 962,496 filed Sep. 25, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 09 / 675,882, filed Sep. 29, 2000.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to the local administration of drug / drug combinations for the prevention and treatment of vascular disease, and more particularly to intraluminal medical devices for the local delivery of drug / drug combinations for the prevention and treatment of vascular disease caused by injury and methods for maintaining the drug / drug combinations on the intraluminal medical devices. The present invention also relates to medical devices having drugs, agents...

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