Analysis of the Polymer Coatings of Coronary Stents from the Aspect of Drug Absorbing and Eluting

The rate of restenosis can be decreased by the usage of drug eluting stents compared to bare metal stents. The aim of this work was the optimization of micro sprayed polymer coatings for medical applications and the examination of drug absorbing and releasing properties of these coatings. Control groups were bare metal stent models (316 LVM type austenitic stainless steel tube slices). Different types of medical grade polyurethane granules were applied onto the stent surface. Various methods were used for the examination of the surface and coating quality, such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.