Patent ID: 6179867
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A longitudinally flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising:a plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements each having a circumference extending around a longitudinal stent axis, the elements being arranged in cylindrical alignment along the longitudinal stent axis to form a generally tubular member;the cylindrical elements formed in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and containing alternating valley portions, peak portions and double-curved portions having the same radius of curvature, each cylindrical element being arranged so that the peaks of adjacent cylindrical elements are out of phase;the generally tubular member having a first end section comprised of one cylindrical element, a second end section comprised of two cylindrical elements, a center section therebetween comprised of a plurality of cylindrical elements, four interconnecting members interconnecting the cylindrical elements of the center section, and five interconnecting members interconnecting the cylindrical element of each of the first and second end sections with the center section respectively; andwhereby the center section is relatively more flexible than the first and the second end sections by including fewer interconnecting members in the center section than in each of the first and second end sections.