Importance

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Abstract

A drug delivery device is described comprising a porous biocompatible solid having at least one therapeutic drug within its pores, the therapeutic drug being removable from the pores by immersion in an aqueous solution. This may also be described as a drug delivery device comprising a porous annulus comprising a biocompatible solid having at least one therapeutic drug within its pores, the therapeutic drug being removable from the pores by immersion in an aqueous solution, the annulus having a top outer surface with an outside diameter, an inner surface with an inside diameter, and a side surface, at least one of the side surface and the top outer surface having openings of the pores exposed on that surface. The device may comprise pores having an average size of the greatest dimensions within the pores of between about 10.sup.-6 and 10.sup.-1 mm. The device may have a medical device or component of a medical device pass through an opening in the annulus. Examples of such medical devices may include, but not be limited to medical devices or components of medical devices selected from the group consisting of catheters, tubes, and electrical leads. A catheter or electrical lead may have at least a portion of its length surrounded by the porous drug delivery device. A more specific description of an aspect of the present invention would include a catheter or cardiac lead having a collar comprising a porous, solid material surrounding at least a length of the catheter or cardiac lead, the collar comprising a porous material selected from the group consisting of inorganic oxides, metals, polymers, and composite materials, the porous material having pores with an average greatest dimension of between about 10.sup.-6 and 10.sup.-1 mm, and the collar having a largest dimension of less than 5 mm.

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First Claim