Patent ID: 6676697
Filing Date: 2004-01-13
Classification: A61F,Y10T

Abstract:
An expandable stent, comprising: a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with a distal row disposed at the distal end of the stent and a proximal row disposed at the proximal end of the stent, wherein the cells disposed in the distal row of the stent are adapted to exert greater radial force and are adapted to be more flexible than the cells disposed in the rows disposed between the distal row and the proximal end of the stent, and, wherein the cells in the distal row are of a thinner gauge than the gauge of the material utilized in the cells disposed between the distal row and the proximal end of the stent.