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