Patent ID: 7658759

Claim:
An implantable frame defining a substantially cylindrical lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis, the implantable frame having an exterior surface area with a plurality of openings, the implantable frame moveable between a compressed configuration and an expanded configuration, the implantable frame comprising: a proximal undulating hoop member having a plurality of struts and bends, a distal undulating hoop member having a plurality of struts and bends, and a plurality of longitudinal connecting members connecting the proximal undulating hoop member to the distal undulating hoop member; where the implantable frame comprises only two of the undulating hoop members, each of the proximal undulating hoop member and the distal undulating hoop member comprising a closed hoop structure formed by only four struts connected to each other by one or more bends: where each longitudinal connecting member is connected to at least one bend of the proximal undulating hoop member and at least one bend of the distal undulating hoop member, the implantable frame comprising at least four of the longitudinal connecting members: where each of the four struts is connected to the one or more bends adjacent to at least one of the longitudinal connecting members; and where the ratio between the length of the implantable frame and the length of the longitudinal connecting members is about 1.50 to about 2.00, the length of the implantable frame measured from the inflection point of the most distal bend in the distal hoop member and the inflection point of the most proximal bend in the proximal hoop member.