Patent ID: 6273910
Filing Date: 2001-08-14
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A flexible stent for implanting in a body lumen and expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition, comprising:an elongated cylindrical body, having a central section with at least one end section, said central section and said at least one end section being constructed of a plurality of adjacent rows of cylindrical elements defined by U-shaped structures linked together in a generally serpentine wave pattern transverse to the longitudinal axis and sufficiently flexible such that upon application of radially outwardly acting forces, each of said cylindrical elements flex and expand radially;at least one interconnecting member extending between and connecting adjacent cylindrical elements together; andat least one cylindrical element of said at least one end section being formed with U-shaped structures sufficiently shorter in axial length or circumferential dimension than U-shaped structures in cylindrical elements of said central section thereby providing said at least one end section with greater resistance to radial expansion than said central section, and wherein interconnecting members extending between said U-shaped structures of such end section and said U-shaped structures of said central section are identical to interconnecting sections within either said central section or within such end section.