Patent ID: 7674283

Claim:
An expandable, elongate flexible conduit dimensionally adapted for placement in a tubular body structure, comprising: a plurality of flexible longitudinal members defining in an unexpanded state a lumen, the members being radially expandable at preselected intervals to define a longitudinally oriented array of open-sided cages separated by less-expanded segments, each member extending through the entire away of open-sided cages, one of the open-sided cages being formed by multiple flexible longitudinal members that do not touch one another along the cage when expanded, at least one of the open-sided cages having a diameter varying along its length and at least one of the open-sided cages having a diameter in an expanded state larger than a diameter of the less-expanded segments; and at least one end portion biased to be so curled in a resting state as to curl the end portion's lumen as a whole.