Patent ID: 7655033

Claim:
A stent having a plurality of variable curvature stent limbs comprising: a first variably curved region attached to an inner region, the first variably curved region comprising a first curvature that is non-constant along the length thereof and that includes no linear portions; a second variably curved region attached to the inner region, the second variably curved region comprising a second curvature that is non-constant along the length thereof and that includes no linear portions; wherein the first variably curved region and the second variably curved region face in opposite directions, the first variably curved region and the second variably curved region having the same curvature at any locations a given distance from a first point of attachment of the first variably curved region to the inner region and a second point of attachment of the second variably curved region to the inner region; the first variably curved region and the second variably curved region are concave; the first non-constant curvature being less concave than an imaginary constant radius curve extending from a first end of the first variably curved region to a second end; the second non-constant curvature being less concave than an imaginary constant radius curve extending from a first end of the second variably curved region to a second end; and wherein each of the plurality of variable curvature stent limbs are connected end to end and curve away from each other in an undulating pattern having a substantially cylindrical structure when the stent is in an expanded state, such that when the stent is compressed the first and second variably curved regions of circumferentially adjacent variable curvature stent limbs flex toward each other and exert an outward radial force, and wherein a radial force plateau exerted by the stent limbs is established at stent diameters larger than 5 mm and the radial force plateau remains substantially constant for all diameters from substantially compressed to 5 mm.