On the influence of solid-liquid mass transfer in the modelling of drug release from stents

In this paper we present a model of drug release from a drug eluting-stent and the subsequent drug transport in the arterial wall. In order to study the complete process, a two-phase mathematical model describing the transport of a drug between two coupled media of different properties and dimensions is presented. A system of partial differential equations describes both the solid-liquid transfer (dissolution) and diffusion processes in the polymeric substrate as well as diffusion, convection and reaction in the tissue layer. We adopt a semi-analytical approach in solving the four resulting equations. The model serves as a useful tool for providing insight into the influence of solid-liquid mass transfer in drug-eluting stent systems.