Flexible stent
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Flexible stent comprising:
- a helical portion comprising a plurality of side-by-side, individual helical elements helically wound about an axis of said stent, said helical portion being expandable radially upon deployment and compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state; and
a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising axially aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical portion, said strut portions being radially expandable upon deployment.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible stent structure includes a plurality of axially spaced strut portions defining generally tubular axial segments of the stent and constructed to be radially expandable. A helical portion is interposed axially between two strut portions and has a plurality of helical elements connected between circumferentially spaced locations on the two strut portions. The helical elements extend helically between those locations and the length of a helical element is sufficient so that, when the stent is in a radially expanded state, it can simultaneously withstand repeated axial compression or expansion and bending.
161 Citations
72 Claims
-
1. Flexible stent comprising:
a helical portion comprising a plurality of side-by-side, individual helical elements helically wound about an axis of said stent, said helical portion being expandable radially upon deployment and compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state; and
a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising axially aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical portion, said strut portions being radially expandable upon deployment.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
50. Flexible stent comprising:
a helical portion comprising a plurality of side-by-side, individual helical elements helically wound about an axis of said stent, said helical portion being expandable radially upon deployment and compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state; and
a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising helically aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical portion, said strut portions being radially expandable upon deployment.- View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
- 53. A method for minimizing or eliminating foreshortening of a flexible stent comprising rotating a plurality of side-by-side individual helical elements, said helical elements being helically wound about an axis of said stent to form a helical portion, said helical portion being expandable radially upon deployment and compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state and a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising axially aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical portion, said strut portions being radially expandable upon deployment.
- 59. A method for crimping a flexible stent comprising elongating a plurality of side-by-side individual helical elements to a crimped state, said helical elements being helically wound about an axis of said stent to form a helical portion, said helical portion being expandable radially upon deployment and compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state and a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising axially aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical portion, said strut portions being radially expandable upon deployment.
-
62. A method for placing a flexible stent within a mammal in a body lumen comprising placing one or more stents at said site, said flexible stent comprising a helical portion comprising a plurality of side-by-side, individual helical elements helically wound about an axis of said stent, said helical portion being expandable radially upon deployment and compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state;
- and a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising axially aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical section, said strut portions being radially expandable upon deployment.
- View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65)
-
66. A method of treating a diseased vessel or duct comprising the steps of:
-
guiding a catheter to a target site;
advancing through the catheter a flexible stent, said flexible stent comprising a helical portion comprising a plurality of side-by-side, individual helical elements helically wound about an axis of said stent, and a strut portion on either side of said helical portion, each of said strut portions comprising axially aligned strut elements having a first end connected to said helical elements of said helical section;
expelling the stent from the catheter at the target site, causing the helical portion to expand radially and said strut portions to expand radially, said helical portion being compressible, expandable and bendable in a deployed state. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
-
Specification