Medical stents, apparatus and method for making same
First Claim
1. A medical stent, comprising:
- at least two radial rings, each of said radial rings having windings, each of said rings having both a constricted state and an expanded state corresponding to the constricted state and expanded state of said windings of said stent, said constricted state being state of said rings in which said windings are curled in shape, said expanded state being a state of said rings in which said windings are uncurled in shape such that each of said rings becomes substantially circular and of greater diameter than said ring in said constricted state; and
, longitudinal connectors, said longitudinal connectors connecting said radial rings to form said stent in a cylindrical shape, said of said stent allowing delivery of said stent on a catheter into a patient, and said expanded state of said stent causing said rings to rest against the walls of a body vessel into which said stent is placed, said rings being selectively expandable from said constricted state to said expanded state, said stent being flexible along substantially its entire longitudinal axis when said stent is in said constricted state, said stent being substantially rigid when said stent is expanded to said expanded state, and said stent being substantially the same length independent said of whether said rings or said stent are in said constricted or said expanded states wherein at least part of a first winding has at least a portion thereof selectively removed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An expandable stent and stent graft having a small initial diameter, flexibility along its longitudinal axis prior to expansion and a large expanded and rigid Local stain on the stent material is minimized, as and after the balloon is expanded. More particularly, the stent has rotation joints having minimal strain during stent expansion. The stent is substantially the same length before and after expansion and being flexible longitudinally when constrained, it is easy to locate. A method of manufacturing stents is described comprising rotation of a tube beneath a moving film, with light passing through the film onto the tube, at selected locations. A laser scanning system for stent manufacture is also disclosed.
111 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A medical stent, comprising:
at least two radial rings, each of said radial rings having windings, each of said rings having both a constricted state and an expanded state corresponding to the constricted state and expanded state of said windings of said stent, said constricted state being state of said rings in which said windings are curled in shape, said expanded state being a state of said rings in which said windings are uncurled in shape such that each of said rings becomes substantially circular and of greater diameter than said ring in said constricted state; and
, longitudinal connectors, said longitudinal connectors connecting said radial rings to form said stent in a cylindrical shape, said of said stent allowing delivery of said stent on a catheter into a patient, and said expanded state of said stent causing said rings to rest against the walls of a body vessel into which said stent is placed, said rings being selectively expandable from said constricted state to said expanded state, said stent being flexible along substantially its entire longitudinal axis when said stent is in said constricted state, said stent being substantially rigid when said stent is expanded to said expanded state, and said stent being substantially the same length independent said of whether said rings or said stent are in said constricted or said expanded states wherein at least part of a first winding has at least a portion thereof selectively removed.- 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)
Specification