Patent ID: 7172623

Claim:
A cannula stent comprising: a cannula having a passageway extending longitudinally therein and a wall of biocompatible material extending at least partially around said passageway, said wall having a plurality of struts extending longitudinally therein and a plurality of elongated openings therethrough, said openings extending at least partially between said plurality of struts, at least first, second, and third ones of said struts being adjacent and having respective ends laterally interconnected at a strut interconnection, a first opening of said openings extending between the first and the second struts and having a first opening end longitudinally adjacent the strut interconnection between the first and the second struts, a second opening of said openings extending between the second and the third struts and having a second opening end longitudinally adjacent the strut interconnection between the second and the third struts, wherein the first strut has a selected width that increases along the first strut toward the first opening end and wherein the second strut has a selected width that decreases along the second strut toward the strut interconnection.