A tubular flexible stent having proximal and distal end portions (1504, 1505) and a cylindrical shape, with luminal and abluminal surfaces and a thickness there between, the cylindrical shape defining a longitudinal axis, the tubular flexible stent comprising: a proximal helical section, a distal helical section and an intermediate ring section there between, each of the proximal and distal helical sections (1508A, 1508B) having of a plurality of longitudinally oriented strut members and a plurality of circumferentially oriented ductile hinge members connecting circumferentially adjacent strut members to form a band, the ductile hinge members being substantially thinner in width than the surrounding strut members and the band being wrapped about the longitudinal axis in a substantially helical manner to form a plurality of helical windings, a plurality of flexible connector members extending between longitudinally adjacent helical windings of the band and serving to connect two strut pairs on longitudinally adjacent windings, the plurality of flexible connector members connecting a circumferentially adjacent strut member of a first strut pair on a helical winding to a circumferentially adjacent strut member of a second strut pair on an adjacent helical winding, the plurality of flexible connector members connecting the strut pairs exclusive of the two ductile hinge members on the longitudinally adjacent helical windings, wherein the distal helical section is wound about the longitudinal axis in the opposite direction from the proximal helical section, wherein the intermediate ring section comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented strut members and a plurality of circumferentially oriented ductile hinge members connecting circumferentially adjacent strut members to form an endless ring, the intermediate ring section being attached to the distal end of the proximal helical section and the proximal end of the distal helical section by at least one flexible connector member and wherein each strut member has a substantially rectangular shape with opposing longitudinally oriented long sides and opposing circumferentially oriented short sides, each ductile hinge member being connected to the circumferentially adjacent strut member along the short side of the strut member. a proximal helical section, a distal helical section and an intermediate ring section there between, each of the proximal and distal helical sections (1508A, 1508B) having of a plurality of longitudinally oriented strut members and a plurality of circumferentially oriented ductile hinge members connecting circumferentially adjacent strut members to form a band, the ductile hinge members being substantially thinner in width than the surrounding strut members and the band being wrapped about the longitudinal axis in a substantially helical manner to form a plurality of helical windings, a plurality of flexible connector members extending between longitudinally adjacent helical windings of the band and serving to connect two strut pairs on longitudinally adjacent windings, the plurality of flexible connector members connecting a circumferentially adjacent strut member of a first strut pair on a helical winding to a circumferentially adjacent strut member of a second strut pair on an adjacent helical winding, the plurality of flexible connector members connecting the strut pairs exclusive of the two ductile hinge members on the longitudinally adjacent helical windings, wherein the distal helical section is wound about the longitudinal axis in the opposite direction from the proximal helical section, wherein the intermediate ring section comprised of a plurality of longitudinally oriented strut members and a plurality of circumferentially oriented ductile hinge members connecting circumferentially adjacent strut members to form an endless ring, the intermediate ring section being attached to the distal end of the proximal helical section and the proximal end of the distal helical section by at least one flexible connector member and wherein each strut member has a substantially rectangular shape with opposing longitudinally oriented long sides and opposing circumferentially oriented short sides, each ductile hinge member being connected to the circumferentially adjacent strut member along the short side of the strut member.