Patent ID: 6638300
Filing Date: 2003-10-28
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A radially expandable axially substantially non-contracting stent for surgical implantation into a body lumen, such as an artery, said stent having a generally cylindrical contour both before and after expansion thereof, said stent comprising in combination:at least three circumferential elements, each circumferential element forming an elongate circuit completely circumscribing said cylindrical contour, a first one of said circumferential elements defining a first end of said stent, a second one of said circumferential elements defining a second end of said stent; each said circumferential element having a wave-like series of bends therein as each said circumferential element circumscribes said cylindrical contour of said stent; each said bend including a trough and a crest, said trough defining a portion of said circumferential element where said circumferential element is more distant from adjacent said circumferential elements than other portions of said circumferential element, said crest defining a portion of said circumferential element where said circumferential element is closer to adjacent circumferential elements than other portions of said circumferential element; at least one axial element having two extremities and located between at least one pair of adjacent circumferential elements, said extremities each attached to a different one of said pair of adjacent circumferential elements, joining said pair of circumferential elements together; each said extremity attached to an adjacent one of said circumferential elements at one of said troughs; each said circumferential element having said troughs and said crests out of phase with said troughs and said crests of said adjacent circumferential elements; and each said circumferential element being formed from a series of attached linear segments when the stent is unexpanded, including linear trough segments oriented perpendicular to a central axis of said cylindrical contour of said stent, crest segments oriented perpendicular to said central axis and spaced axially from said trough segments by an amplitude of said circumferential elements, and inflection segments non-parallel with said trough segments and said crest segments and linking each trough segment to adjacent said crest segments.