Patent ID: 7691119

Claim:
An angioplasty balloon catheter comprising: a catheter shaft carrying an inflatable/deflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end; and a non-deployable radially expansible stent comprising a hypo tube disposed over the balloon and comprising a proximal end; a distal end; and at least three longitudinally aligned, radially-spaced struts, wherein each strut extends from the proximal end to the distal end and prior to radial expansion has one or more bends that allow longitudinal expansion of the strut to accommodate radial expansion of the stent upon inflation of the balloon; wherein the distal end of the hypo tube is attached to the distal end of the catheter shaft and the proximal end of the tube is attached to the proximal end of the catheter shaft and the stent is made of a material having a memory so that the stent radially collapses and the struts longitudinally shorten upon deflation of the balloon.