Patent ID: RE40816

Claim:
A radially self-expanding stent adapted for implantation in a body passage comprises first and second sets of mutually counter-rotating metallic filaments which are braided together and define a tubular stent body having two ends which is biased towards a first radially expanded configuration in which it is unconstrained by external applied forces and can be retained in a second radially compressed configuration, in which in the said first configuration the angle α between the filaments at a crossover point at the mid point of the stent is less than 90° and in which some or all of the filaments at the ends of the body are fixed together in pairs each consisting of counter-rotating filaments such that the angle at which the filaments are fixed is within the range α−10 to α+10, and in which the filaments are joined at a bead which has a diameter of at least 1.2 times the diameter of the filament.