Flexible stent with improved axial strength

• US 20040117002A1
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gregorich, Daniel, Gerberding, Brent C., Girton, Timothy Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 8,105,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/91 made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak

Abstract

A stent comprises a generally cylindrical band having a pattern of alternating first and second struts, the first struts being wider than the second struts, the first and second struts being of substantially the same length.

Claims

1. A stent comprising a generally cylindrical band having a pattern of alternating first and second struts, the first struts being wider than the second struts, the first and second struts being of substantially the same length.

2. The stent of claim 1 comprising a plurality of the serpentine generally cylindrical band, serpentine generally cylindrical bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other.

3. The stent of claim 2 wherein at least one of the serpentine generally cylindrical bands is in the form of a closed cylinder.

4. The stent of claim 2 wherein all of the serpentine generally cylindrical bands are in the form of closed cylinders.

5. The stent of claim 2 wherein the first struts are at least twice as wide as the second struts.

6. A stent comprising a plurality of serpentine generally cylindrical bands, bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other, at least one of the bands formed in a pattern of alternating first and second struts, the first struts being stronger than the second struts, the first and second struts being of substantially the same length.

7. The stent of claim 6 wherein the first struts have a greater width than the second struts.

8. The stent of claim 6 wherein the first struts have a greater thickness than the second struts.

9. The stent of claim 6 wherein the first struts have a greater resistance to radial deformation that the second struts.

10. The stent of claim 6 wherein the first struts are formed of a different material than the second struts.

11. The stent of claim 6 wherein at least one of the bands is in the form of a closed cylinder.

12. The stent of claim 6 wherein all of the bands are in the form of closed cylinders.

13. The stent of claim 6 wherein the first struts are at least twice as wide as the second struts.

14. The stent of claim 6 wherein each of the bands is formed in a pattern of alternating first and second struts, the first struts being stronger than the second struts, the first and second struts being of substantially the same length.

15. A stent comprising a plurality of serpentine generally cylindrical bands, bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other, at least one of the bands formed in a pattern of alternating first and second struts, the first and second struts extending in a substantially non-circumferential direction, the first struts being stronger than the second struts.

16. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first and second struts are of substantially the same length.

17. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first struts have a greater width than the second struts.

18. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first struts have a greater thickness than the second struts.

19. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first struts have a greater resistance to radial deformation that the second struts.

20. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first struts are formed of a different material than the second struts.

21. The stent of claim 15 wherein at least one of the bands is in the form of a closed cylinder.

22. The stent of claim 15 wherein all of the bands are in the form of closed cylinders.

23. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first struts are at least twice as wide as the second struts.

24. The stent of claim 15 wherein each of the bands is formed in a pattern of alternating first and second struts, the first struts being stronger than the second struts.

25. The stent of claim 15 wherein the first struts are of a substantially constant width and the second struts are of a substantially constant width.

26. The stent of claim 15 wherein each of the first struts are of a varying width and each of the second struts are of a varying width, the average width of the first struts exceeding the average width of the second struts.

27. A stent comprising a plurality of serpentine generally cylindrical bands, bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other, at least one of the bands formed in a pattern of alternating first and second struts, each first strut having an average width wider than the average width of each second strut, the first and second struts being of substantially the same length.

28. A stent comprising a plurality of serpentine generally cylindrical bands, bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other, at least one of the bands formed in a pattern of alternating first and second struts, each first strut having a first width and each second strut having a second width of no greater than about one-half of the first width.

29. A stent comprising a serpentine, generally cylindrical band, the band having a plurality of turns with struts extending therebetween, the struts including wider struts and narrower struts, the struts arranged in a pattern of alternating widths.

30. The stent of claim 29 comprising a plurality of the cylindrical band, bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other.

31. The stent of claim 29 wherein each turn has a width which tapers toward a narrower strut.

32. The stent of claim 29 wherein the orientation of the narrower struts relative to a longitudinal axis of the stent changes between an unexpanded state and an expanded state and the orientation of the wider struts relative to a longitudinal axis of the stent does not significantly change between an unexpanded state and an expanded state.

33. The stent of claim 29 wherein the narrower struts are deformed as the stent changes between an unexpanded state and an expanded state and the wider struts are not substantially deformed between an unexpanded state and an expanded state.

34. The stent of claim 29 in a self-expanding configuration.

35. The stent of claim 29 configured for placement in a cerebral aneurysm.

36. The stent of claim 29 wherein the struts each have a length of between about 1 mm and 2 mm.

37. A stent comprising a serpentine, generally cylindrical first band, the first band having a plurality of turns with struts extending therebetween, the struts including wider struts and narrower struts, the struts arranged in a regular pattern of one or more wider struts and one or more narrower struts.

38. The stent of claim 37 wherein the regular pattern consists of a wider strut adjacent to a narrower strut.

39. The stent of claim 37 wherein the regular pattern consists of a wider strut adjacent to a narrow strut, the narrow strut adjacent to another narrow strut.

40. The stent of claim 39 comprising a plurality of the first band, first bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other.

41. The stent of claim 40 wherein a second serpentine band is disposed between adjacent first bands.

42. The stent of claim 41 wherein the first and second bands are of different wavelengths and amplitudes.

43. The stent of claim 40 wherein adjacent first bands are connected via connectors which extend in a substantially longitudinal direction.

44. The stent of claim 43 wherein the struts each have a bent portion.

45. The stent of claim 40 wherein the struts each have a bent portion.

46. A stent comprising a first, second and third serpentine substantially circumferential band, each serpentine band having a plurality of interconnected struts, the second band disposed between the first and third bands, and connected to the first band via a plurality of first connections and the second band connected to the third band via a plurality of second connections, there being at least three struts of the second band extending between first and second connections which are nearest one another, at least one of the at least three struts being wider than the other of the at least three struts.

47. The stent of claim 46, wherein three struts of the second band extend between first and second connections which are nearest one another, one of the three struts being wider than the other of the three struts.

48. The stent of claim 47 wherein the wider struts extend from a connection.

49. The stent of claim 47 wherein the connections extend in a longitudinal direction.

50. The stent of claim 47 wherein the struts are bent.

51. The stent of claim 46 wherein the first and third serpentine bands each have a first number of turns and the second serpentine band has a second number of turns, the first number exceeding the second number.

52. The stent of claim 46 wherein the first and third serpentine bands are of greater longitudinal extent than the second serpentine band.

53. The stent of claim 52 wherein the first and third serpentine bands each have a first number of turns and the second serpentine band has a second number of turns, the first number exceeding the second number.

54. A stent comprising a plurality of serpentine bands extending about the circumference of the stent, serpentine bands which are adjacent one another connected one to the other, at least some of the serpentine bands having first and second struts, the second struts reorienting on expansion of the stent, the first struts not substantially reorienting on expansion of the stent.