Stent

• US 6,261,319 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ehr, Timothy G. J., Kveen, Graig L., Brown, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHERBI, SUZETTE JAIME J
• Application Number:
  US09/111,531
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1, 623/12, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.17
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band

Abstract

A radially expandable stent comprising a plurality of spaced band-like elements and intersecting links is disclosed. The band-like elements have a generally serpentine configuration to provide continuous waves of generally sinusoidal character to each band-like element. The waves are characterized by a plurality of peaks and troughs taking a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder such that the waves in the band-like elements open as the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter. The intersecting links are substantially U-shaped and terminate in first and second shanks. The first shank of a link emanates from a region between a peak and trough on a band-like element and the second shank of the link emanates from a region between a peak and trough on an adjacent band-like element.

Claims

1. An expandable stent comprising:

a plurality of interconnected, spaced first bands,

each first band having a proximal end and a distal end,

the proximal end comprising a series of alternating peaks and troughs

the distal end comprising a series of alternating peaks and troughs

each first band having a plurality of openings between the proximal end and the distal end, and

a plurality of connecting elements extending between adjacent first bands, each connecting element having a proximal end extending from a point on a first band between a peak and a trough and a distal end extending from a point between a peak and a trough on an adjacent first band, each connecting element having a bend therein and being U-shaped.

2. The expandable stent of claim 1 wherein the connecting elements include U-shaped first connecting elements and U-shaped second connecting elements, the first connecting elements oppositely oriented relative to the second connecting elements.

3. An expandable stent comprising:

a plurality of interconnected, spaced first bands,

each first band having a proximal end and a distal end,

the proximal end comprising a series of alternating peaks and troughs

the distal end comprising a series of alternating peaks and troughs

each first band having a plurality of diamond shaped openings between the proximal end and the distal end; and

a plurality of connecting elements extending between adjacent first bands, each connecting element having a proximal end extending from a point on a first band between a peak and a trough and a distal end extending from a point between a peak and a trough on an adjacent first band.

4. An expandable stent comprising:

a plurality of interconnected diamond shaped first cells having proximal ends and distal ends, the first cells arranged in a first band,

and a plurality of interconnected second cells having proximal ends and distal ends arranged in a second band, the second cells having a shape which is different from the diamond shape of the first cells,

the first band adjacent to the second band and generally proximal to the second band, the distal ends of the first cells extending in a distal direction beyond the proximal ends of the second cells.

5. An expandable stent comprising:

a plurality of interconnected first cells having proximal ends and distal ends, the first cells arranged in a first band, the first cells having a first shape,

and a plurality of interconnected second cells having proximal ends and distal ends arranged in a second band, the second cells having a second shape different from the first shape, each of the second cells having U-shaped side walls extending between the proximal ends and the distal ends of the second cells,

the first band adjacent to the second band and generally proximal to the second band, the distal ends of the first cells extending in a distal direction beyond the proximal ends of the second cells.

6. The expandable stent of claim 5 wherein each of the side walls has a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the sidewall longitudinally and circumferentially offset from the distal end of the sidewall.

7. The expandable stent of claim 5 wherein the first cells are diamond shaped.

8. An expandable stent comprising:

a plurality of bands comprising interconnected diamond-shaped cells, each diamond-shaped cell having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a plurality of curved connecters connecting adjacent bands, the curved connectors having proximal ends and distal ends,

wherein the proximal ends of the connectors extend from points on a band proximal to the distal ends of the diamond cells and

the distal ends of the connectors extend from points on an adjacent band distal to the proximal ends of the diamond cells.

9. The expandable stent of claim 8 further comprising a serpentine band at the proximal end of the stent.

10. The expandable stent of claim 9 further comprising a serpentine band at a distal end of the stent.

11. A radially expandable stent having first and second ends, the stent having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

a plurality of spaced band-like elements forming a hollow cylinder, the band-like elements arranged sequentially along the cylinder, each band-like element consisting of a first sub-element and a second sub-element, the first sub-element and the second sub-element each having a generally serpentine configuration characterized by a plurality of alternating peaks and troughs taking a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder such that the waves in the first and second sub-elements open as the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter, the second sub-element being 180 degrees out of phase relative to the first sub-element, the peaks of the first sub-element connected to the troughs of the second, and

adjacent band-like elements connected together by one or more links, each link having at least one bend therein and terminating in first and second shanks, the first shank of each link emanating from a region of attachment between a peak and trough on a second sub-element of a band-like element and the second shank of each link emanating from a region of attachment between a peak and trough on a first sub-element of an adjacent band-like element, each first shank attached to a second sub-element of a band-like element being spaced one wavelength or more apart along the second sub-element of the band-like element from an adjacent first shank and each second shank attached to a first sub-element of a band-like element being spaced one wavelength or more apart along the first sub-element of the band-like element from an adjacent second shank.

12. A radially expandable stent having first and second ends, the stent having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

a plurality of spaced band-like elements forming a hollow cylinder, the elements being arranged sequentially along the cylinder and each band-like element consisting of two sub-elements having a generally serpentine configuration to provide continuous waves to each sub-element, the waves being characterized by a plurality of alternating peaks and troughs taking a generally longitudinal direction along the cylinder such that the waves in the sub-elements open as the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter; and

adjacent band-like elements in phase with one another and connected together by one or more links, each link having at least one bend therein and terminating in first and second shanks, the first shank of each link emanating from a region of attachment between a peak and trough on a sub-element of a band-like element and the second shank of each link emanating from a region of attachment between a peak and trough on a sub-element of an adjacent band-like element, the first shank of each link circumferentially offset from the second shank of the link, each first shank attached to a sub-element of a band-like element being spaced one wavelength or more apart along the sub-element of the band-like element from an adjacent first shank and each second shank attached to a sub-element of a band-like element being spaced one wavelength or more apart along the sub-element of the band-like element from an adjacent second shank.

13. An expandable stent having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis, the stent disposed in a longitudinal direction, the stent formed of a plurality of flexible connected primary cells, each primary cell comprising:

a first member having first and second ends extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first member having a serpentine shape and having one peak and one trough, the peak and trough taking a generally longitudinal direction along the stent;

a second member having first and second ends extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the second member having a serpentine shape and having one peak and one trough, the peak and trough taking a generally longitudinal direction along the stent, the second member situated generally opposite the first member and circumferentially displaced from the first member;

a first link having a first end and a second end, the first link extending in a generally longitudinal direction, the first link having at least one bend therein, the first link disposed between the first end of the first member and the first end of the second member, the first end of the first link attached to the first end of the first member and the second end of the first link attached to the first end of the second member; and

a second link having a first end and a second end, the second link extending in a generally longitudinal direction, the second link having at least one bend therein, the second link disposed between the second end of the first member and the second end of the second member, the first end of the second link attached to second end of the first member and the second end of the second link attached to the second end of the second member, the first and second links being in phase with each other, the first and second links substantially ‘

U’

shaped prior to expansion of the stent and

wherein the primary cells are arranged in one or more primary bands and adjacent primary bands are interconnected.