Patent ID: 8652196

Claim:
A stent comprising: a plurality of annular segments arranged peripherally along a longitudinal axis to define opposing free ends, each annular segment comprising a plurality of interconnected segment struts; and a plurality of connector struts each extending along the longitudinal axis between, and connecting, adjacent annular segments, each connector strut comprising an axial section and a compensating section, wherein at least a portion of each of the segment struts, axial sections, and compensating sections is curved, wherein each of the compensating sections comprises a V-shaped section having a pair of curved inclined sections, wherein each of the segment struts and axial sections continuously curve along their respective lengths, wherein a pair of segment struts is configured to conform to each axial section along their respective lengths in a contracted state, and wherein a plurality of adjacent segment struts are adjoined to one another via a transition section, the transition section being directly attached to an adjacent compensating section.