Provided herein is a coated coronary stent, comprising: a. stent framework; b. a plurality of layers deposited on said stent framework to form said coronary stent; wherein at least one of said layers comprises a bioabsorbable polymer and at least one of said layers comprises one or more active agents; wherein at least part of the active agent is in crystalline form.

Methods of inactivating microbiological contamination described herein use a textile or membrane which can generate a contamination-inactivating amount of ozone or a reactive oxygen species. The textile or membrane includes first and second conductive layers and at least one ion conductive or porous intermediate layer positioned between the first and second conductive layers. The textile or membrane can form part of a protective face mask, for example a medical or surgical face mask. A voltage effective to generate a microbiological contamination-inactivating amount of the inactivating species is applied across the intermediate layer of the textile or membrane.

An implant comprises a substrate and a coating on a surface of the substrate, and the coating comprises silicon nitride and has a thickness of from about 1 to about 15 micrometer. A method of providing the implant comprises coating a surface of the implant substrate with the coating comprising silicon nitride and having a thickness of from about 1 to about 15 micrometer by physical vapour deposition.

An end effector including an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly is disclosed. The staple cartridge assembly comprises a deck having steps defined thereon for compressing tissue positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge assembly to different pressures. The staple cartridge assembly further comprises staples having different unformed heights removably stored therein. The staples are deformed against the anvil to different formed heights.

A braided structure that includes a core and a sheath is provided. The core includes a yarn formed at least in part from an aromatic polymer (e.g., an aromatic polyester/liquid crystalline polymer or an aramid polymer), and the sheath, which includes a plurality of ultra high molecular weight polyolefin yarns, is braided around the core. The sheath has an overall diameter ranging from about 60 micrometers to about 650 micrometers. Despite its small diameter, the braided structure can be creep resistant and abrasion resistant while at the same time exhibiting low elongation, a high load at break, and high stiffness. The braided structure can be used in medical applications such as sutures, load bearing orthopedic applications, artificial tendons/ligaments, fixation devices, actuation cables, components for tissue repair, etc.

A method for depositing a coating comprising a polymer and pharmaceutical agent on a substrate, comprising the following steps: discharging at least one pharmaceutical agent in a therapeutically desirable morphology in dry powder form through a first orifice; discharging at least one polymer in dry powder form through a second orifice; depositing the polymer and/or pharmaceutical particles onto said substrate, wherein an electrical potential is maintained between the substrate and the pharmaceutical and/or polymer particles, thereby forming said coating; and sintering said coating under conditions that do not substantially modify the morphology of said pharmaceutical agent.

A method of reducing surgical site infection (SSI), using a coated medical device having a tissue penetrating surface and an abradable coating on the medical device comprising at least one antimicrobial agent in the coating.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for treatment of respiratory disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic sinusitis, including cystic fibrosis, interstitial fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and neoplasia. The method involves administration, preferably oral, nasal or pulmonary administration, of anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative drugs (rapamycin or paclitaxel and their analogues) and an additive.

A biodegradable in vivo supporting device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a coated stent device includes a biodegradable metal alloy scaffold made from a magnesium alloy, iron alloy, zinc alloy, or combination thereof, and the metal scaffold comprises a plurality of metal struts. The metal struts are at least partially covered with a biodegradable polymer coating. A method for making and a method for using a biodegradable in vivo supporting device are also disclosed.

An implant can include a plurality of polymeric fibers associated together into a fibrous body. The fibrous body is capable of being shaped to fit a tracheal defect and capable of being secured in place by suture or by bioadhesive. The fibrous body can have aligned fibers (e.g., circumferentially aligned) or unaligned fibers. The fibrous body can be electrospun. The fibrous body can have a first characteristic in a first gradient distribution across at least a portion of the fibrous body. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members, such as ribbon structural reinforcing members, which can be embedded in the plurality of fibers. The fibrous body can include one or more structural reinforcing members bonded to the fibers with liquid polymer as an adhesive, the liquid polymer having a substantially similar composition of the fibers.