Patent ID: 7029492

Claim:
A stent that is to be implanted in a body formed in a substantially tubular configuration, has a diameter so set that the stent is insertable into the body, and can be dilated radially outwardly upon application of a force acting radially outwardly from the interior thereof, the stent having a plurality of wavy annular members each formed of a wavy element and arranged in the axial direction thereof; and a plurality of connection portions each connecting the adjacent wavy annular members to each other axially; wherein at least some of the connection portions are breakable connection portions that are configured to be weaker than other parts of the stent so as to be broken by inserting an inflating balloon catheter into the stent after the stent is radially dilated and through a side of the stent from an interior of the stent and inflating the inflating balloon catheter; the stent comprising a plurality of annular units arranged in the axial direction of the stent and joining portions each connecting the annular units to each other; wherein each annular unit comprises a first wavy annular member formed of a wavy element; a second wavy annular member disposed in the axial direction of the stent such that a mountain of the second wavy annular member is proximate to a valley of the first wavy annular member and formed of a wavy element; an integral portion consisting of the valley of the first wavy annular member and the mountain of the second wavy annular member integrated therewith; and a plurality of the connection portions each connecting the valley of the first wavy annular member and the mountain of the second wavy annular member to each other; the connection portions being located in a vicinity of the center of the stent; the joining portions connecting adjacent annular units to each other through the integral portions; the joining portions being so arranged that those adjacent to each other are continuous with each other and more than two of the joining portions are not continuous with each other; the stent having joining portions-continuous members consisting of the continuous joining portion, connecting three annular units to each other at the integral portions thereof and bending at its center; and the joining portions-continuous members are dislocated from each other by a length of one joining portion in a rear-end direction of the stent.