Patent ID: 8034097

Claim:
A radially expandable intraluminal vascular support comprises: in a non-expanded state, a plurality of coupled flexible zigzag formed annular elements, the zigzag annular elements having rounded apexes, each zigzag annular element being formed by straight bars of equal length the bars of each zigzag annular element being arranged to form acute angles within a zigzag pattern, the zigzag annular elements being ordered vertically along a longitudinal axis, the zigzag annular elements defining a proximal end and a distal end of the intraluminal vascular support, wherein each zigzag annular element is coupled to at least one other annular element through at least one opposing pair of bending elements, each of the bending elements is formed from a bow shaped connector bar connecting respective rounded apexes of adjacent zigzag annular elements, open sides of said adjacent zigzag annular elements between apexes connected by the bow shaped bars and open sides of an opposing pair of bending elements define open star shaped segments between adjacent zigzag annular elements, and the star shaped segments have the form of 4-pointed stars.