Patent ID: 7628802

Claim:
A method of forming a permanently an expandable medical device, said medical device having a body section that is expandable from a first unexpanded diameter to a second expanded diameter, said second diameter greater than said first diameter, said method comprising the step of forming first and second links in said body section of said medical device, each of said links including at least one link segment, said link segment including a head portion and a support member, said support member having first and second ends, said first end of said support member rotatably connected to said head portion, said first end of said support member and said head portion including an engagement arrangement that has a plurality of engagement surfaces designed to incrementally limit a direction of rotation of said support member in a single direction relative to said head portion, said plurality of engagement surfaces allowing at least a portion of said body section to expand from said first to said second diameter of aid body section and to prevent at least a portion of said expanded body section from contracting in diameter once said support member has rotated a predetermined distance relative to said head portion, wherein said body section at least partially forms a stent.