Patent ID: 8303646

Claim:
An implantable medical device including a stented structure formed of a plurality of stent rings coupled together by one or more coupling elements, each coupling element extending from one stent ring to another stent ring, the coupled stent rings extending in at least one longitudinal direction, the or at least one of the coupling elements having a longitudinal axis that extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the stented structure along an entire length of each coupling element when the stented structure is expanded and being hinged along only a portion of each coupling element to allow for said coupled stent rings to pivot around the hinge or hinges so as to flex the stented structure in said longitudinal direction; the stented structure being made of shape memory material having a first transition temperature, the hinge or hinges being heat treated zones with a transition temperature higher than the first transition temperature so as to provide zones of increased flexibility within the stented structure.