Patent ID: 8920488
Filing Date: 2014-12-30
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An endoprosthesis for delivery in a body lumen comprising: a tubular body having a longitudinal axis, and having proximal and distal ends and a lumen extending longitudinally therebetween, and a wall having areas thereof removed to define a web structure configured for circumferential expansion from a contracted delivery configuration to an expanded deployed configuration; the web structure comprising a plurality of longitudinally adjacent web rings interconnected one with another at a plurality of connectors, and that are arranged so that the plurality of web rings are situated side-by-side along the longitudinal length of the tubular body, with each web ring extending circumferentially around the wall, and each web ring comprising web elements joined in pairs at junction bends, each web ring joined in pairs by the plurality of connectors at at least some of the junction bends, the web elements in each web ring are foldable on top of one another and nested one into the other in the contracted delivery configuration, each of the web elements comprising a central member having first and second ends, the central member being disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis in the contracted delivery configuration, the central member being connected at the first end to a first end member at a first obtuse angle, the central member being connected at the second end to a second end member at a second obtuse angle, wherein adjacent web rings comprise a proximal web ring and a distal web ring, the web elements in the proximal web ring being oriented at 180 degrees in relation to the web elements in the distal web ring; wherein each connector is coupled to a mid-point of its respective junction bends, and each connector is disposed between opposing junction bends of a pair of web rings situated side-by-side, with the opposing junction bends of each web ring facing one another, such that each connector is disposed between the pair of web rings and is longitudinally offset from the pair of web rings, and each connector comprising a plurality of parallel struts joined at arcuate coupling segments so that the parallel struts can be expanded and contracted relative to one another when the stent is stretched or compressed when deployed, the plurality of parallel struts extending circumferentially around at least a portion of the wall a distance that is equal to the spacing between four circumferentially adjacent junction bends on each side of the connector, and each connector being joined on one side to a first pair of web elements of a first web ring at a first junction bend, and joined on its opposite side to a second pair of web elements of an adjacent web ring at a second junction bend, the second pair of web elements being laterally offset from the first pair of web elements; wherein arcuate coupling segments of a first connector are nested between arcuate coupling segments of a second circumferentially adjacent connector.