A nonelutable low-molecular weight heparin stent coating for improved thromboresistance.

Low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) has been widely used as a systemic anticoagulant during percutaneous coronary intervention. In this study, LMWH was covalently immobilized to the surface of a cobalt chromium reservoir-based sirolimus-eluting stent to create a nonelutable nanoscale coating for enhanced thromboresistance. Toludine-blue stained stents revealed uniform heparin coverage on all surfaces of the stent.

Control of cilostazol release kinetics and direction from a stent using a reservoir-based design.

Sustained release formulations of a potent antithrombotic drug, cilostazol, in poly-(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) matrices were created for luminal release from a novel drug-eluting stent utilizing reservoirs (RES TECHNOLOGY™). The crystallinity of cilostazol and the morphology of the cilostazol/polymer matrix in the stent reservoirs were examined by cross-polarized optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. An in vitro method was developed to study release kinetics of various cilostazol formulations and to examine correlation with in vivo release.