Patent ID: 8435284

Claim:
A bifurcated stent being expandable from an unexpanded state to an expanded state, wherein in the unexpanded state the stent has a diameter less than that of the diameter in the expanded state, the bifurcated stent comprising: a substantially tubular primary body defining a primary circumferential plane, a primary outer surface, a primary lumen and having a primary longitudinal axis extending therethrough; a side branch assembly engaged to the primary body, the side branch assembly comprising a plurality of ring members, adjacent ring members being engaged one to the other by at least one connector, in the unexpanded state the plurality of ring members being positioned substantially within the primary circumferential plane, in the expanded state the plurality of ring members being positioned external to the primary circumferential plane and defining a secondary lumen, and having a secondary longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the secondary lumen being in fluid communication with the primary lumen, the secondary longitudinal axis forming an angle with the primary longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of ring members are generally circular, and wherein the ring members have an unexpanded circumference in the unexpanded state and at least two of the plurality of ring members have substantially the same unexpanded circumference.