Patent ID: 7803179
Filing Date: 2010-09-28
Classification: A61F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. 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 cylindrical element having a circumference extending about a longitudinal stent axis and being substantially independently expandable in the radial direction; wherein the plurality of adjacent cylindrical elements are arranged in alignment along the longitudinal stent axis and form a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and each cylindrical element has a plurality of alternating valley portions and peak portions, the valley portions including alternating double-curved portions and Y-shaped portions, and the peak portions including alternating, inverted double-curved portions and inverted Y-shaped portions; and a plurality of interconnecting members extending between the adjacent cylindrical elements and connecting the adjacent cylindrical elements to one another, interconnecting members being connected to the alternating double-curved portions to connect a cylindrical element to the Y-shaped portion of an adjacent cylindrical element, and interconnecting members being connected to the alternating, inverted double-curved portion to connect a cylindrical element to the alternating, inverted Y-shaped portion of an adjacent cylindrical element.