Patent ID: 8021418

Claim:
A stent comprising a single tubular framework having an outer surface and an inner surface and a plurality of interconnected struts, the struts comprising a plurality of serpentine bands and further comprising a generally linear connector strut attaching a peak of one serpentine band to a trough of an immediately adjacent serpentine band at the respective apices of each of the peak and the trough, wherein the respective apices of the immediately adjacent serpentine bands are axially aligned and connected with each other in opposing directions such that the single tubular framework has no gaps between the respective apices of the immediately adjacent serpentine bands, and wherein the opposing apices reduce a distance between the immediately adjacent serpentine bands and attach to the generally linear connector strut, the framework further comprising an outer covering of PTFE and an inner covering of PTFE, the outer covering extending along at least a portion of the outer surface of the expandable framework, the inner covering extending along at least a portion of the inner surface of the expandable framework, at least a portion of the inner and outer coverings being contiguous, the stent further comprising at least one radiopaque marker of a first set that is directly and only attached to the plurality of interconnected struts at the generally linear connector strut and disposed between the inner covering and the outer covering and placed to indicate a deployed position of a covered region of the stent, the framework further comprising a circumferential non-serpentine band at least one distal end of an uncovered region of the framework comprising at least one radiopaque marker of a second set placed to indicate a deployed position of the uncovered region of the stent.