Protective surfaces for drug-coated medical devices

摘要

Medical balloons having one or more folds, on which are disposed protective surfaces e.g., protective lines or strips, and at least one therapeutic agent between the lines. The protective surfaces prevent, inhibit, or reduce the contact between therapeutic agent on one area, e.g., a surface area, and an opposing area or therapeutic agent on the opposing area when the balloon is folded. The protective surfaces also prevent, inhibit, or reduce loss of therapeutic agent from the balloon surface as a result of, for example, contact with a medical device during expansion or removal of a protective sheath. Also a medical device delivery system comprising a medical device surrounded by a retractable sheath, wherein protective surfaces are disposed on the sheath.