Patent ID: 6547817
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A generally cylindrical stent for delivery to a coronary artery, said stent having a first pre-deployment diameter and a second deployed diameter, said stent having a circumference, and a longitudinal axis, said stent having sufficient flexibility to permit percutaneous delivery to a curved coronary artery; said stent in its first diameter comprising:at least two longitudinally spaced apart circumferential rings having closed ends, each of said circumferential rings defining a portion of the circumference of the stent, each of said circumferential rings having at least two peak segments and at least two valley segments; and at least one longitudinally extending connector having a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion being fixedly connected to a first of said circumferential rings and said second end portion being fixedly connected to a circumferential ring adjacent to said first circumferential ring, said connector having at least one circumferentially extending turn back portion between its first and second end portions that can expand or contract in length as measured by the straight line distance between its first and second end portions, while being passed through a curved coronary artery.