Patent ID: 8142488

Claim:
A removable stent for placement within a lumen comprising: a scaffolding of struts including a plurality of legs and one or more connectors, the plurality of legs arranged in rows about a circumference of the stent, the rows arranged longitudinally along a longitudinal axis of the stent and connected by the one or more connectors, the scaffolding of struts formed of metal and configured to define a substantially cylindrical member having a proximal end and a distal end; and a plurality of flexible engageable members arranged circumferentially about an outer periphery of at least one of the proximal and distal ends, wherein the engageable members comprise a suture formed of a material different from the metal of the scaffolding, are distinct from the scaffolding, and are directly attached to the scaffolding in a manner that a force applied to the engageable members transfers directly to the scaffolding, wherein each of the engageable members extends proximally from the proximal end or distally from the distal end, and wherein each of the engageable members comprises a spiral completely and longitudinally around a connector of the scaffolding of struts; and at least one element disposed within each of the engageable members and about the circumference of the proximal or distal end and connected to itself, wherein the at least one element comprises a suture, and wherein a force applied to the element at the proximal or distal end causes the proximal or distal end to reduce in diameter.