Patent ID: 7163553

Claim:
A method of implanting an intravascular stent for repairing a body lumen having vulnerable plaque of a predetermined length, comprising: providing a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and an expandable member adjacent the distal end; providing an intravascular stent, mounted on the expandable member, the stent having a distal section, a proximal section, and a central section positioned between the distal section and the proximal section, the central section having a plurality of struts connected by apices to form a substantially zig zag pattern around the circumference of the stent in the central section; the distal section and the proximal section having cylindrical rings having a first longitudinal length, and the central section having a cylindrical ring having a second longitudinal length at least as long as the predetermined length of the vulnerable plaque, the first longitudinal length being shorter than the second longitudinal length; the central section struts being arranged in a substantially uniform repeating pattern forming a single ring; the central section struts having a substantially uniform air to metal ratio; inserting the catheter into the vascular system and advancing the catheter distal end so that the stent is positioned in a body lumen to be repaired; aligning the stent in the body lumen so that the central section substantially aligns with the area of vulnerable plaque; inflating the expandable member and implanting the stent in the body lumen; and deflating the expandable member and withdrawing the catheter from the vascular system.