Non-Foreshortening intraluminal prosthesis
First Claim
1. A stent comprising:
- a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state, wherein each annular element has a longitudinal dimension which is smaller in the radially expanded state than in the compressed state; and
connecting members connecting adjacent annular elements;
wherein the annular elements and connecting members are made of Nitinol, with each connecting member preset with an elasticity which causes the connecting member to elongate longitudinally when the annular elements are in their expanded state to compensate for the smaller longitudinal dimension of the annular elements in the expanded state.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intraluminal prosthesis is provided with a plurality of annular elements. Each annular element includes a plurality of struts and apices connected to form an annular configuration. Each annular element has a compressed state and an expanded state, and has a longitudinal dimension which is smaller in the expanded state than in the compressed state. A plurality of connecting members connect the apices of adjacent annular elements. The connecting members have a plurality of alternating segments that function to compensate for the smaller longitudinal dimension of each annular element in the expanded state. The stent may be provided with varying flexibility along its length and/or circumference, and may include segments that have different diameters.
633 Citations
54 Claims
-
1. A stent comprising:
-
a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state, wherein each annular element has a longitudinal dimension which is smaller in the radially expanded state than in the compressed state; and connecting members connecting adjacent annular elements; wherein the annular elements and connecting members are made of Nitinol, with each connecting member preset with an elasticity which causes the connecting member to elongate longitudinally when the annular elements are in their expanded state to compensate for the smaller longitudinal dimension of the annular elements in the expanded state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A stent having a first segment and a second segment, with each segment having a diameter and comprising:
-
a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state; at least one connecting member connecting adjacent annular elements; a plurality of apertures defined by adjacent annular elements and connecting members, each aperture having a size and a geometric configuration; with the first and second segments having substantially the same diameter in the compressed state; and wherein the apertures of the first and second segments have different sizes but substantially the same geometric configuration when the first and second segments are in the expanded state. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A stent having a plurality of segments and comprising:
-
a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state; a plurality of connecting members connecting adjacent annular elements; and a plurality of gaps formed by omitting at least one of the connecting members between adjacent annular elements so as to provide two of the plurality of segments of the stent with different degrees of flexibility. - View Dependent Claims (34)
-
-
35. A stent having a plurality of segments and comprising:
-
a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state; a plurality of connecting members connecting adjacent annular elements; and wherein each annular element comprises a plurality of alternating struts and apices connected to each other to form a substantially annular configuration, and wherein the connecting members are connected to the apices of the adjacent annular elements; and wherein a plurality of gaps are formed by omitting at least one of the struts so as to provide two of the plurality of segments of the stent with different degrees of flexibility. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
-
-
38. A stent comprising:
-
a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state, and each annular element including a plurality of alternating struts and apices connected to each other to form a substantially annular configuration; and at least one connecting member connecting adjacent annular elements; wherein at least one of the annular elements is closed such that the plurality of alternating struts and apices are connected to each other to form a closed annular element, and wherein at least one of the annular elements are open such that the plurality of alternating struts and apices are not connected at at least one location. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
Specification