A BIOABSORBABLE, DEGRADABLE STENT WITH A DRUG RELEASE SYSTEM

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a bioabsorbable, degradable stent for drug storage that can be produced rapidly. A stent with a length of 28[Formula: see text]mm and a diameter of 6[Formula: see text]mm was generated by injecting polycaprolactone (PCL) (PubChem CID:6452583) into a mold created using a toggle-type microtool machine. Micropores of 0.5[Formula: see text]mm diameter and 0.6[Formula: see text]mm depth were created on stents. A stent had 54 pores, and each pore had a storage volume of 0.1175[Formula: see text]c3. To determine the optimal PCL concentration for stent construction, stents of three PCL concentrations (20%, 25%, and 30%) were fabricated in the experiment, and the material and chemical properties of the stents were determined. In addition, four proportions of PCL:PLGA (10:0, 8:2, 5:5, 0:10) were tested, and the corresponding pore degradation time was employed as a reference parameter for controlling the amount of drug release in the stent design. With an increase in PCL concentration from 20% to 30%, the load increased from 39.718 to 63.5[Formula: see text]N. The stent with 25% PCL concentration exhibited optimal surface roughness ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm). Finally, scanning electron microscopy indicated that the surface of the material with 25% PCL concentration did not contain any fractures and exhibited planar evenness. The results demonstrate the development of a bioabsorbable, degradable stent that can be applied in vascular surgery.