Patent ID: 8460362

Claim:
A flexible scaffold circumferential formed from expansion-crystallizable bioabsorbable polymer material about a longitudinal axis so as to form a tube, said tube having a proximal open end and a distal open end, and being crimpable and expandable, and having a patterned shape in unexpanded form comprising: a first sinusoidal strut pattern comprising a series of repeated sinusoids defined by an apex section and a trough section; a nested hoop structure; and a second sinusoidal strut pattern comprising a series of repeated sinusoids defined by an apex section and a trough section, said sinusoids of said second sinusoidal strut pattern being about 180° out of phase with respect to said apex section and said trough section of said first sinusoidal strut pattern; wherein said second sinusoidal strut pattern is connected to said first sinusoidal strut pattern at at least two points, and wherein said connection at said points is from said apex section of said first sinusoidal pattern to said trough section of said second sinusoidal pattern, or from said trough section of said first sinusoidal pattern to said apex section of said second sinusoidal pattern, and, when fully-expanded the first and second sinusoidal strut patterns maintain a sinusoidal shape and the nested hoop structure forms a hoop shape.