Objective  To prepare the coating of dexamethasone-eluting intravascular stent and observe the features of its delayed release in vitro.   Methods  Spray painting and dipping coating were used respectively to prepare stent coating

and then high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to detect the drug loading. The stents prepared by dipping coating were set in a flow of 50 ml PBS buffer at a velocity of 20 ml/min

and 0.5 ml buffer was collected at 6 h and 1

2

4

6

8

10

12

15 d respectively with another 0.5 ml fresh PBS being added immediately. The drug content of the 0.5 ml buffer was detected by HPLC for drug sustained release in vitro.   Results  The drug loading of stents prepared by spray painting was (24.26±5.23) μg

while that stents prepared by dipping coating for 4 d was (93.15±7.83) μg. Drugs were released slowly and the release rate reached 84% at 15 d.    Conclusion  The dipping coating-prepared stents have evident effect of sustained release.