Patent ID: 7758629

Claim:
A stent, comprising: a first member having a proximal section and including first and second zig-zag-shaped annular bands, each of the bands having bend sections, wherein the first and second bands are arranged to form a structural ring having a diamond-shape, the first member further including a plurality of connecting points that connect a portion of the bend sections of the first annular band with a corresponding portion of the bend sections of the second annular band; a second member having a distal section; and a connector joining the proximal section of the first member to the distal section of the second member, the connector being made from a material comprising a polymer; wherein the connector flexibly joins the first member to the second member, and wherein the first member is self-expandable and the second member is capable of expanding with the application of an external force; wherein the first member diamond shape has a first corner, second corner, a third corner and a fourth corner, the first member further including a first pair of adjacent bend sections of the first and second annular bands connected to each other by a first connecting point and forming the first corner, a second pair of adjacent bend sections of the first and second annular bands connected to each other by a second connecting point and forming the second corner, and the third and fourth corners of the diamond shape are formed by opposed bend sections of the first annular band and the second annular band, wherein the opposed bend sections are between the first and second pairs of adjacent bend sections; and wherein the first and second connecting points are one of a bridge of material, adhesive and weld.