Analysis of a phosphorylcholine-based polymer coating on a coronary stent pre- and post-implantation

There has been a move towards surface treatments for metallic coronary stents in an effort to improve their compatibility within the body and to provide a vehicle for the delivery of therapeutics. The BiodivYsio™ range of stents is characterised by a biocompatible coating comprised of a crosslinked phosphorylcholine (PC)-based polymer. In addition to a review of some of the data collected to support safety and efficacy of this device, this paper also describes a number of techniques that have been employed to both visualise and quantify the coating on the stent. Explantation of both coated and uncoated stents from porcine coronary arteries revealed that both coated and uncoated stents were >90% endothelialised after 5 days. Typical histological analysis of stented vessel sections after 4 and 12 weeks implantation showed the presence of cell types characteristic of the inflammatory response associated with the trauma caused by stent placement, with no evidence for any additional coating-related adverse inflammatory sequelae. Finally, it was demonstrated by AFM and SEM that both the thickness and force required to remove the coating were essentially unchanged after 6 months implantation. Thus, both the long-term stability and relative biological inertness of the coating has been confirmed in vivo, supporting its use as a vehicle for local drug delivery.