Intravascular stent

• US 20060052860A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andreina P. Gomez, Diem Uyen Ta
• Original Assignee: Andreina P. Gomez, Diem Uyen Ta
• Inventors: Ta, Diem Uyen, Gomez, Andreina P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,534,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/1.150
• 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 2002/91508 the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91516 the meander having a change in frequency along the band
• 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 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. The invention provides for an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by undulating links. The stent has a high degree of flexibility in the longitudinal direction, yet has adequate vessel wall coverage and radial strength sufficient to hold open an artery or other body lumen. The stent can be compressed or crimped onto a catheter to a very low profile since the peaks that are adjacent the curved portion of the undulating link are shorter than other peaks in the same cylindrical ring to prevent overlap yet still achieve a very low profile, tightly crimped stent onto a catheter.

Claims

1-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of first peaks, each of the first peaks having a first height;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of second peaks, each second peak having a second height, the second height being shorter than the first height;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the second height of the second peak being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of the undulating link is longitudinally aligned with the second peak; and

each undulating link having a first arm that is straight and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a second curved arm.

28. The stent of claim 27, wherein the first arm has a length and the second curved arm has a length, the length of the first arm being substantially greater than the length of the second curved arm.

29. The stent of claim 27, wherein the curved arm has a first end attached to a base of a Y-shaped element.

30. The stent of claim 29, wherein the second curved arm has a second end attached to a straight portion of the undulating link.

31. The stent of claim 27, wherein the second curved arm is longitudinally flexible.

32. The stent of claim 27, wherein the second curved arm does not expand longitudinally when the stent is expanded from the first delivery diameter to the second implanted diameter.

33. The stent of claim 27, wherein the stent has a distal end ring and a proximal end ring, the distal end ring and the proximal end ring being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by at least one substantially straight link.

34. The stent of claim 33, the distal end ring and the proximal end ring being connected to adjacent cylindrical rings by three substantially straight links.

35. The stent of claim 34, the substantially straight links are less flexible longitudinally than are the undulating links.

36. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of first peaks, each of the first peaks having a first height;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of second peaks, each second peak having a second height, the second height being shorter than the first height;

three undulating links attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the second height of the second peak being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of the undulating link is longitudinally aligned with the second peak;

each undulating link having a first arm that is straight and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second curved arm; and

the undulating links being circumferentially offset along the longitudinal axis of the stent.

37. The stent of claim 36, wherein the first arm has a length and the second curved arm has a length, the length of the first arm being substantially greater than the length of the second curved arm.

38. The stent of claim 36, wherein the second curved arm has a first end attached to a base of a Y-shaped element.

39. The stent of claim 38, wherein the second curved arm has a second end attached to a straight portion of the undulating link.

40. The stent of claim 36, wherein the second curved arm is longitudinally flexible.

41. The stent of claim 36, wherein the second curved arm does not expand longitudinally when the stent is expanded from the first delivery diameter to the second implanted diameter.

42. The stent of claim 36, wherein the stent has a distal end ring and a proximal end ring, the distal end ring and the proximal end ring being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by at least one substantially straight link.

43. The stent of claim 42, the distal end ring and the proximal end ring being connected to adjacent cylindrical rings by three substantially straight links.

44. The stent of claim 43, the substantially straight links are less flexible longitudinally than are the undulating links.

45. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of first peaks, each of the first peaks having a first height;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of second peaks, each second peak having a second height, the second height being shorter than the first height;

at least one undulating link attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the stent longitudinal axis toward the second peak, the second height of the second peak being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of the undulating link is longitudinally aligned with the second peak; and

wherein the stent has a distal end ring and a proximal end ring, and at least one of the distal end ring and the proximal end ring being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by at least one substantially straight link.

46. The stent of claim 45, wherein both the distal end ring and the proximal end ring are connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by at least one substantially straight link.