Patent ID: 6540775
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A stent in the form of a thin-walled, lace-like, cylindrical tube with a longitudinal axis, the stent comprising:a multiplicity of interior circumferential sets of strut members and one end circumferential set of strut members at each of the two longitudinal ends of the stent; each interior circumferential set of strut members including at least one connected strut member consisting of a long diagonal section having a longitudinal length L1 fixedly attached to a connected curved section, each connected curved section being joined by means of a longitudinal connecting link to one connected curved section of an adjacent circumferential set of strut members and all connecting links that connect adjacent circumferential sets of strut members are connected at a connected curved section; each interior set of strut members also including at least one unconnected strut member consisting of a short diagonal section having a longitudinal length L2 fixedly joined to an unconnected curved section; and the stent being further characterized by having the length L1 of each long diagnol section being longer than the length L2 of each short diagonal section i.e.; L12, so that the unconnected strut members have a decreased tendency for flaring outward as the stent is advanced though a curved vessel.