Stent with nested or overlapping rings

• US 6,340,366 B2
• Filed: 12/08/1998
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bandula Wijay
• Original Assignee: Bandula Wijay
• Inventors: Wijay, Bandula
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US09/207,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20010047199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 606/198, 606/191, 606/192, 606/195-197, 606/108, 623/1, 623/1.15, 623/1.17, 623/1.22, 623/1.3, 623/1.13
• US Class Current: 623/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• 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 2002/91541 Adjacent bands are arranged out of phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped

Abstract

A flexible stent is disclosed which reduced openings between rings by two alternative techniques. In the first instance, adjacent sinusoidally bending rings are nested to compact them closer together to reduce the opening sizes therebetween. In another embodiment, adjacent sinusoidal rings overlap each other to achieve the same effect. The assembly can be covered with a graft as a support therefor.

Claims

1. A stent, comprising:

a plurality of pairs of first and second rings, said first rings having an undulating form defining a first end and said second rings having an undulating form having a second end, said undulating form of said first rings defining said first end by alternating high and low peaks, and said undulating form of said second rings defining said second end by alternating high and low peaks;

said first and second ends are positioned facing each other with high peaks on said first end disposed in substantial longitudinal alignment with low peaks on said second end and low peaks on said first end disposed in substantial longitudinal alignment with high peaks on said second end, so as to allow said first and second rings to nest; and

at least one connector to connect adjacent rings.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein:

said high and low peaks on said first end define a plurality of first valleys therebetween;

said high and low peaks on said second end define a plurality of second valleys therebetween;

said first valleys are in substantial longitudinal alignment with said second valleys.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein:

said connector comprises a crosstie extending from adjacent said high peak on said first end to adjacent said low peak on said second end.

4. The stent of claim 3, wherein:

said crosstie extends from a high peak on said first end to a low peak on said second end.

5. The stent of claim 4, further comprising:

said crosstie comprises a plurality of crossties disposed at each pair of longitudinally aligned peaks of said first and said second ends.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein:

said connector comprises a direct connection of longitudinally aligned peaks from said first and second ends to each other.

7. The stent of claim 1, wherein:

said longitudinal alignmemt of said high peaks on said first end with said low peaks on said second end coincides with a longitudinal axis of said rings.

8. The stent of claim 1, further comprising:

a graft supported by said rings.