Patent ID: 7407508

Claim:
An indwelling stent formed in a substantially tubular shape, having a diameter allowing for insertion into a living organism and expandable when radially outward forces are exerted thereon from the inside of the tubular shape, wherein said stent comprises annular units arranged in an axial direction of said stent, each of said annular units comprises a plurality of collapsed annular elements so arranged as to surround the stent axis, each of said annular elements is elongate in the axial direction of said stent and has an opening in a central portion thereof, adjacent portions of said annular elements are joined to each other through a joint, adjacent annular units being interconnected at said joints by at least one link, said annular elements in each said annular unit are so arranged that one of each adjacent pair of said annular elements is axially offset in the axial direction of said stent relative to the other annular element of the adjacent pair of annular elements, end portions of each said annular unit are projected zigzag, said zigzag projected end portion of said annular unit is in the state of penetrating into the adjacent annular unit, each of said links has a primary axis substantially parallel to the stent axis and said joints in each said annular unit have a primary axis substantially parallel to the stent axis, each respective one of said links and the joints of the two annular units to which the respective link is connected form a straight line, wherein two or more of said links are provided between an adjacent pair of said annular units.