LONGITUDINALLY FLEXIBLE EXPANDABLE STENT
First Claim
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1. A tubular, flexible, expandable stent, comprising:
- a plurality of cylindrical shaped segments aligned on a common longitudinal axis to define a generally tubular stent body, each segment being defined by a member formed in an undulating pattern of interconnected substantially parallel struts to define the periphery of the expandable stent body, and in which adjacent pairs of struts in a given segment are interconnected at opposite ends, interconnected ends of one segment being positioned substantially opposite to interconnected ends of an adjacent segment, and a plurality of interconnecting elements each extending from an end of paired struts on one segment to an end of paired struts on an adjacent segment, the elements extending angularly from one end on one segment to another end, not to an opposite end, on an adjacent segment, the distribution of the elements being such that there are at least three struts between each connecting point on opposite sides of the segments, whereby, upon expansion of the stent, the paired struts of the adjacent segments are displaced relative to each other about the periphery of the stent body to accommodate longitudinal flexing of the stent within the segments and without interference between adjacent segments.
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Abstract
Segmented articulatable stent of open structure comprised of end-connected struts making up the segments with angular interconnects between segments.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A tubular, flexible, expandable stent, comprising:
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a plurality of cylindrical shaped segments aligned on a common longitudinal axis to define a generally tubular stent body, each segment being defined by a member formed in an undulating pattern of interconnected substantially parallel struts to define the periphery of the expandable stent body, and in which adjacent pairs of struts in a given segment are interconnected at opposite ends, interconnected ends of one segment being positioned substantially opposite to interconnected ends of an adjacent segment, and a plurality of interconnecting elements each extending from an end of paired struts on one segment to an end of paired struts on an adjacent segment, the elements extending angularly from one end on one segment to another end, not to an opposite end, on an adjacent segment, the distribution of the elements being such that there are at least three struts between each connecting point on opposite sides of the segments, whereby, upon expansion of the stent, the paired struts of the adjacent segments are displaced relative to each other about the periphery of the stent body to accommodate longitudinal flexing of the stent within the segments and without interference between adjacent segments. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification