A prosthesis extending about a longitudinal axis (A) between a proximal end and a distal end , the prosthesis comprising: an expandable tubular frame having a lumen longitudinally extending therein about a longitudinal axis, the frame including a longitudinal first region (F) coupled to a longitudinal second region (S), wherein the longitudinal second region (S) is proximal to and has a greater radial stiffness than the longitudinal first region (F), the longitudinal first region comprising a first annular segment and an annular flex segment adjacent to one another, the first annular segment including a proximal first annular stent member and a distal first annular stent member adjacent to one another, each of the proximal and distal first annular stent members having proximal (P) and distal (D) apices arranged in a peak-to-peak relationship with one another, wherein at least a portion of the distal apices (D) and corresponding proximal apices (A) of the respective proximal and distal first annular stent members remain uncoupled to one another, the annular flex segment including at least one second annular stent member having proximal and distal apices arranged in a peak-to-valley relationship with the proximal and distal first annular stent members , wherein a longitudinal tie bar is coupled between one of the proximal apices (P) of the second annular stent member and one of the proximal apices (P) of the distal first annular stent member at a coupling joint , wherein the coupling joint is located where the distal and the corresponding proximal apices (P) of the proximal and distal first annular stent members remain uncoupled to one another. an expandable tubular frame having a lumen longitudinally extending therein about a longitudinal axis, the frame including a longitudinal first region (F) coupled to a longitudinal second region (S), wherein the longitudinal second region (S) is proximal to and has a greater radial stiffness than the longitudinal first region (F), the longitudinal first region comprising a first annular segment and an annular flex segment adjacent to one another, the first annular segment including a proximal first annular stent member and a distal first annular stent member adjacent to one another, each of the proximal and distal first annular stent members having proximal (P) and distal (D) apices arranged in a peak-to-peak relationship with one another, wherein at least a portion of the distal apices (D) and corresponding proximal apices (A) of the respective proximal and distal first annular stent members remain uncoupled to one another, the annular flex segment including at least one second annular stent member having proximal and distal apices arranged in a peak-to-valley relationship with the proximal and distal first annular stent members , wherein a longitudinal tie bar is coupled between one of the proximal apices (P) of the second annular stent member and one of the proximal apices (P) of the distal first annular stent member at a coupling joint , wherein the coupling joint is located where the distal and the corresponding proximal apices (P) of the proximal and distal first annular stent members remain uncoupled to one another. <EOS>