Patent ID: 8277500

Claim:
A slide-and-lock stent, comprising a tubular member having a longitudinal axis, said tubular member comprising: a first radial element comprising an elongate rail comprising a deflectable tooth, wherein said elongate rail defines upper and lower portions and first and second ends, said upper portion tapering circumferentially from a first radial thickness to a second radial thickness in a first direction approaching a distal edge of said upper portion, said lower portion tapering circumferentially from said first radial thickness to said second radial thickness in a direction opposite the first direction approaching a distal edge of said lower portion, the first radial element not overlapping itself when the stent is in an expanded state; a second radial element comprising an engagement means configured to circumferentially overlap and slidably engage said elongate rail of the first radial element in an expanded state to define an overlapped section of the elongate rail, said engagement means configured to deflect said deflectable tooth as the tooth contacts said engagement means such that said tubular member achieves circumferential expansion with reduced recoil, wherein said overlapped section of the elongate rail of the first radial element tapers along substantially its entire length for reducing a radial thickness of the stent; and a flexible linkage element engaging the first and second ends of the elongate rail of the first radial element, the first end comprising the distal edge of the upper portion and the second end comprising the distal edge of the lower portion.