Medical devices with machined layers for controlled communications with underlying regions

摘要

According to an aspect of the present invention, implantable or insertable medical devices (also referred to as internal medical devices) are provided. These medical devices include at least one machined layer, at least a portion of which is disposed over at least one underlying region (e.g., a therapeutic agent containing region, a catalytic region, etc.). The at least one machined layer contains a plurality of excavated regions which promote the transport of molecular species across the machined layer. An advantage of the present invention is that medical devices are provided, in which the transport of species into the medical device, out of the medical device, or both are controlled, and may be customized, as desired.