Nanocoatings on implantable medical devices

The global medical device industry has experienced significant growth over the past 5 years. The surge of patent publications in the field bears testimony to this fact. The advent of nanotechnology has opened up newer unexplored vistas in the field of medical devices. This review summarizes patents employing the principles of nanotechnology in the formulation of coatings for implantable medical devices. Patents selected have at least one entity or structure with dimensions in the nanometer range, which results in a therapeutic value addition. The strategies reviewed pertain to tackling issues such as restenosis and thrombosis in addition to improving the overall acceptability of the implantable medical device, particularly those placed in the vasculature.