Patent ID: 8353950

Claim:
A stent comprising: at least one helical winding having more than one turn about a longitudinal axis of the stent, the at least one helical winding comprising a plurality of alternating long struts and short struts, the long and short struts being substantially non-deforming during radial expansion or contraction, and ends of at least some of the long struts being joined to an end of an adjacent short strut by a hinge arrangement, and others of the long struts being joined to an end of an adjacent short strut by an interconnection hinge arrangement, the joining of a long strut and an adjacent short strut in the at least one helical winding creating a bend, and at least one interconnection hinge arrangement connecting one turn of the at least one helical winding with an adjacent turn of the at least one helical winding, wherein fewer than all bends on the at least one turn are connected to adjacent oppositely pointing bends by an interconnection hinge arrangement, wherein the long struts, the short struts, the hinge arrangements and the at least one interconnection hinge arrangement all have the same radial thickness.