Patent ID: 7273494

Claim:
A stent having a substantially tubular body defining a longitudinal axis comprising: first and second adjacent annular segments, each annular segment defining a substantially sinusoidal shape having a plurality of peaks and valleys, the peaks of the first annular segment extending toward the second annular segment and being aligned longitudinally with the valleys of the second annular segment, the valleys of the second annular segment extending toward the first annular segment; a plurality of bridge elements having a U-shaped portion between first and second connector arms, the first connector arm of one bridge element being connected between a first peak and a first valley of the first annular segment and the second connector arm being connected between a first peak and a first valley of the second annular segment, wherein the first connector arm and the second connector arm of each bridge element joins the annular segment at a zero point of the sinusoidal shape, the first peak of the first annular segment being aligned longitudinally with the first valley of the second annular segment and the first valley of the first annular segment being aligned longitudinally with the first peak of the second annular segment, wherein the stent does not comprise any annular segment between the first and second adjacent annular segments, wherein the first and second connector arms have substantially similar shapes, and wherein the first connector arm includes a first portion and the second connector arm includes a second portion, the first and second portions being substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the stent.