Patent ID: 7981149

Claim:
An implantable medical device comprising first and second cylindrical hoops arranged to define a single longitudinal axis and radially expandable about said axis from an unexpanded state to an expanded state, said first and second hoops joined one to the other by a plurality of flexible connectors, at least one of said hoops including a plurality of pairs of elongated struts that are substantially longitudinally oriented relative to said axis in said unexpanded state, each of said pairs of struts comprising adjacent first and second struts arranged substantially alongside each other, so as to define an acute angle between said first and second struts in their unexpanded state, said first and second struts having respective end portions adjacent each other and joined to each other by a junction, said first strut having an inner edge and an outer edge opposite said inner edge of said first strut, said second strut having an inner edge and an outer edge opposite said inner edge of said second strut, said inner edge of said first strut being opposed to said inner edge of said second strut, said junction having an inner edge and an outer edge opposite said inner edge of said junction, said inner edge of said junction being continuous with said inner edge of said first strut and said inner edge of said second strut, at least a portion of said inner edge of said junction being convex relative to an imaginary point located between said inner edge of said first strut and said inner edge of said second strut, said at least a portion of said inner edge of said junction intersecting an imaginary line bisecting the acute angle, said junction including a hinge region, and said hinge region being less rigid than said first and second struts, wherein at least one of said flexible connectors is joined directly to one of said first struts.