Patent ID: 7402170

Claim:
A stent comprising: a first section; a second section; at least one securement member, the at least one securement member disposed about at least one region of the first section and at least one region of the second section, the at least one securement member having an uncrimped diameter and a crimped diameter, the crimped diameter being less than the uncrimped diameter, when the at least one securement member is in the crimped diameter at least a portion of an inner surface of the at least one securement member is fixedly engaged to the at least one region of the first section and the at least one region of the second section, in the crimped diameter, the at least one region of the first section and the at least one region of the second section being adjacent to each other, wherein at least a portion of the at least one region of the first section and at least a portion of the at least one region of the second section comprise at least one weld positioned along the seam; and at least one separate strengthening member comprising a first portion positioned between the at least one securement member and at least one of the first section and the second section, the strengthening member also comprising a second portion extending beyond an end of the at least one securement member.