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US007946019B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: Us 7,946,019 B2
Curcio et al. (45) Date of Patent: *May 24,2011
(54) PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A STENT FOR ANGIOPLASTY
(75) Inventors: Maria Curcio, Saluggia (IT); Giovanni Rolando, Chivasso (IT); Franco Vallana, Turin (IT)
(73) Assignee: Sorin Biomedica Cardio S.R.L.,
Saluggia (Vercelli) (IT)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
claimer.
(21) Appl.No.: 12/775,080
(22) Filed: May 6, 2010
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2010/0216376 Al Aug. 26, 2010
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Continuation of application No. 11/691,933, filed on Mar. 27, 2007, now Pat. No. 7,739,781, which is a continuation of application No. 10/431,557, filed on May 7, 2003, now Pat. No. 7,607,208, which is a continuation of application No. 08/997,597, filed on Dec. 23, 1997, now Pat. No. 6,638,302.
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Dec. 30, 1996 (IT) TO96A1095
A stent has surface sculpturing, preferably on its outer surface only, having, for example, microspheres, having the function of increasing the actual geometric surface area of the stent, of creating undercuts and roughness to encourage the application of coatings of active or activatable agents, as well as of improving the attachment of the stent to the blood vessel wall.
47 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
