Patent ID: 8241316

Claim:
A stent for treating anatomic occlusions of the nasopharynx and oropharynx, the stent comprising: an elongate central tube having a lumen, a first end and a second end; the first end including inflation means and the second end being closed; the central tube lumen defining a central inner chamber, the central inner chamber being in fluid communication with the inflation means; a plurality of spoke sets disposed along the central tube, each spoke set being located at a different position along the length of the central tube; each spoke set comprising one or more inflatable spokes; each inflatable spoke having an inner end, an outer end and being connected to the central tube at its inner end; each inflatable spoke further having a lumen defining a spoke inner chamber, the spoke inner chamber being in fluid communication with the central inner chamber; a plurality of ribs, each rib extending from an inflatable spoke of one spoke set to an inflatable spoke of at least one other spoke set; each rib having a proximal end, a distal end, a first side and a second side; and each rib having one or more web members extending from each of its first and second sides to an adjacent rib.