Patent ID: 7837726

Claim:
A segmented substrate configured to receive one or more coatings and to be shaped into a crack-resistant endoprosthesis, the segmented substrate comprising: a first layered segment of said substrate including a first plurality of layers and having a first external surface and an opposite second external surface, the first external surface and the second external surface of the first layered segment defining a cross-sectional area having a first characteristic, the first layered segment being configured to be shaped into a first strut element having a low stress zone, said first plurality of layers of said first layered segment of said segmented substrate comprising: a first layer forming the first external surface; a second layer forming the second external surface, the second layer is not the first layer; and one or more first crack inhibiting boundary regions between said first layer and second layer, wherein said one or more first boundary regions are configured to inhibit a crack from propagating between said first layer and second layer, wherein at least said first layer and second layer cooperate in said first plurality of layers to provide said first characteristic to said low stress zone; and a second layered segment adjacent and connected to the first layered segment of said substrate including a second plurality of layers and having a third external surface and an opposite fourth external surface, the third external surface and the fourth external surface of the second layered segment defining a cross-sectional area having a second characteristic that is different than the first characteristic, the second layered segment being configured to be shaped into a second strut element having a bendable high stress zone, said second plurality of layers of said second layered segment of said segmented substrate comprising: a third layer forming the third external surface; a fourth layer forming the fourth external surface, the third layer is not the fourth layer; and one or more second crack inhibiting boundary regions between said third layer and said fourth layer, wherein said one or more second boundary regions are configured to inhibit a crack from propagating between said third layer and fourth layer, wherein at least said third layer and fourth layer cooperate in said second plurality of layers to provide said second characteristic to said high stress zone, the first plurality of layers being different from the second plurality of layers; and wherein said first layered segment and said second layered segment are configured to receive one or more coatings upon one or more of said first external surface, said second external surface, said third external surface and said fourth external surface.