Patent ID: 8801775

Claim:
A stent comprising: a wire bent into a waveform having a series of sinusoidal segments, the waveform being wrapped into a hollow cylindrical shape to form the stent, wherein at least one sinusoidal segment of the wire includes: a first portion wherein an amplitude between consecutive turns of the wire gradually increases along a length of the first portion from a first amplitude to a second amplitude; and a second portion longitudinally offset from the first portion wherein an amplitude between consecutive turns of the wire gradually decreases along a length of the second portion from a third amplitude to a fourth amplitude; wherein the second and third amplitudes are substantially equal and wherein a longitudinally extended span of the wire extends from a last turn in the at least one sinusoidal segment first portion to a first turn in the at least one sinusoidal segment second portion with the last turn of the first portion and the first turn of the second portion being consecutive turns of the waveform, and wherein the first portion of the at least one sinusoidal segment forms only one complete wrapping of the waveform about a longitudinal axis of the stent and the second portion of the at least one sinusoidal segment forms only one complete wrapping of the waveform about the longitudinal axis of the stent.