Patent ID: 7357818

Claim:
A stent comprising: an elongated member including a proximal end, a distal end and a central portion disposed therebetween, the central portion defining a lumen extending at least partially therethrough and having a length sufficient to extend substantially along an entire length of a ureter of a patient, the proximal end of the elongate member defining a plurality of slits substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongate member such that the proximal end includes a plurality of flexible segments, each having a first end and a second end, the plurality of flexible segments having a first configuration in which a portion of at least one flexible segment from the plurality of flexible segments abuts a portion of an adjacent flexible segment from the plurality of flexible segments, the plurality of flexible segments defining a lumen having a longitudinal axis that is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the elongated member and in which each flexible segment of the plurality of flexible segments is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member such that the first end of each flexible segment is disposed between the second end of each flexible segment and the distal end of the elongated member and a second configuration in which the at least one flexible segment from the plurality of flexible segments is spaced apart from the adjacent flexible segment from the plurality of flexible segments such that the second end of the at least one flexible segment is disposed between the first end of the at least one flexible segment and the distal end of the elongated member and in which at least a portion of the at least one flexible segment is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the elongated member; and a distal retention structure disposed adjacent to the distal end, the distal retention structure configured to retain a portion of the stent within a kidney after placement of the stent within the patient.