Patent ID: 7635384

Claim:
A stent having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the stent comprising: a plurality of serpentine bands including a first end serpentine band, a second end serpentine band and at least one interior serpentine band, said at least one interior serpentine band comprising alternating turns connected by struts, the struts comprising a plurality of first struts having a first length, a plurality of second struts having a second length and a plurality of third struts having a third length, the second length greater than the first length, the third length greater than the second length, the first, second and third struts arranged in a predetermined pattern as said at least one interior serpentine band is traversed, said predetermined pattern repeating as said at least one interior serpentine band is traversed in its entirety, wherein the predetermined pattern is a first strut, then a second strut, then three consecutive third struts, then a second strut or the predetermined pattern is a third strut, then a second strut, then three consecutive first struts, then a second strut; and a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two adjacent serpentine bands, each connector column comprising a plurality of connector struts including at least one first connector strut and at least one second connector strut, each connector strut coupled at a first end to a serpentine band and coupled at a second end to another serpentine band; wherein a first connector strut is parallel to the longitudinal axis, and the first end of a second connector strut is longitudinally and circumferentially offset from the second end of the second connector strut.