Patent ID: 8252041
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A stent comprising: a plurality of radially expandable rings disposed adjacent to one another thereby defining a tubular member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and a middle portion, the plurality of radially expandable rings including: a first radially expandable ring defined by a plurality of strut members, a second radially expandable ring defined by a plurality of strut members, a nth radially expandable ring defined by a plurality of strut members; and at least one interconnection member extending between the first and second radially expandable rings at an end portion of the tubular member to define an open cell bordered by the at least one interconnection member and three or more struts of the first expandable ring and of the second radially expandable ring, respectively; a plurality of interconnection members disposed between longitudinally adjacent radially expandable rings in the middle portion of the tubular member to define closed cells therebetween, each closed cell bordered by circumferentially adjacent interconnection members and by two struts of each of the longitudinally adjacent rings of the middle portion, wherein the middle portion of the tubular member includes a greater number of interconnection members between longitudinally adjacent rings than the end portion of the tubular member, and further wherein a transition section is defined between the end portion and the middle portion, the transition section including at least one open cell defined between at least two longitudinally adjacent expandable rings of the transition section and at least one closed cell defined between the at least two longitudinally adjacent expandable rings, each open cell bordered by circumferentially adjacent interconnection members extending between two longitudinally adjacent expandable rings of the transition section and by three or more struts of each of the two longitudinally adjacent expandable rings, respectively, and each closed cell bordered by circumferentially adjacent interconnection members extending between the two longitudinally adjacent expandable rings and by two struts of each of the two longitudinally adjacent rings.