Patent ID: 8876885

Claim:
A stent, comprising: a) an essentially tubular open supporting structure of interconnected zigzag-shaped trusses which form meandering curved webs in the circumferential direction, each truss having a first end and a second end, whereby the supporting structure can be widened radially with deformation of the trusses for application of the stent; b) an angularly articulatable joint connecting adjacent trusses and defined by a first end of a first truss and a second end of a second truss, the first end having a wall portion defining generally U-shaped opening, the second end having a generally rounded shape, the second end positioned within and maintained in a pre-expansion first angle with the first end U-shaped opening by a breaking point connector connecting the second end and the wall portion proximate to the middle of the U-shaped opening, wherein the breaking point connector can release from either the first or second end in response to deformation of the stent during expansion, whereupon the second end can angularly pivot within the U-shaped opening of the first end to create a second angle greater than the first angle, while the first end and second end are maintained in substantially the same proximity to each other as before expansion by radial force.