Patent ID: 6053941
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A method of dilating and keeping open a vessel comprising:providing a stent having a body extending along a longitudinal axis of said stent, said body comprising material areas in the form of ribs and gaps in the form of free spaces between the ribs, said body having a radially contracted state for introduction of the stent into a vessel;introducing the stent into a vessel; andradially expanding the stent to dilate and keep open the vessel;wherein said step of providing includes forming said stent body such that said material areas are relatively thin and without material crossing points as in knitted and braided structures which give rise to a greater material thickness, and wherein said step of radially expanding includes expanding the stent to a radially expanded state having at least one end of opposite ends of the body along the longitudinal axis of the stent which has a greater diameter than the remaining body of the stent between said opposite ends with the ribs in the vicinity of said at least one end extending radially outwardly progressively in a direction along said longitudinal axis to said at least one end of the stent.