Patent ID: 6911041
Filing Date: 2005-06-28
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A self expandable stent comprising: an elastic tubular lattice structure having a first end zone, a second end zone, a longitudinal direction and a radial direction, the lattice structure defining an outer diameter and an inner lumen and being formed by wall segments, which wall segments branch off at intersections, the stent being elastically expandable from a compressed, reduced diameter delivery configuration toward a relaxed, resiliently expanded configuration the lattice structure being interrupted at least at some of the intersections so as to increase the flexibility of the stent, the wall segments at least at the interrupted intersections, being pre-formed to have a relaxed, undeformed and resiliently expanded state in which they project radially outward such that, upon curvature of the expanded stent along the longitudinal direction, a reduction of the inner lumen due to the wall segments at the interrupted intersections is prevented, the stent, including the radially expandable wall segments at the interrupted intersections, being compressible to a reduced diameter containable in a delivery device such that the stent, including the radially projectable wall segments, are resiliently contained such that upon release from the delivery device, the stent will resiliently self-expand to its expanded state and the wall segments will radially self-expand to their outward projecting configuration.