Longitudinally flexible stent

• US 6,709,453 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Medinol Limited (Medinol USA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pinchasik, Gregory A., Richter, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Vy Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/795,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 606/108, 606/191, 606/194, 656/198, 623/1.1, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.13, 623/1.14, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.17, 623/1.18, 623/1.19, 623/1.2
• 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 2002/91508 the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91516 the meander having a change in frequency along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91525 within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude
• 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 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped

Abstract

An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The triangular cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also to provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The triangular cells provide increased coverage of a vessel wall. The stent can have different portions adapted to optimize radial support or to optimize longitudinal flexibility. The stent can be adapted to prevent flaring of portions of the stent during insertion.

Claims

1. A multicellular stent comprising:

a plurality of bands of square cells, each square cell including a first loop disposed generally longitudinally opposite a second loop, and a first pair of flexible compensating members joined to the legs of the first and second loops, said compensating members compensate for foreshortening;

a plurality of bands of triangular cells, said triangular cells having a different shape from said square cells and each triangular cell comprising

a first loop containing section, the first loop containing section arranged generally in the circumferential direction, the loops in said first loop containing section occurring at a first frequency;

a second loop containing section, the second loop containing section arranged generally in the circumferential direction, the loops in said second loop containing section occurring at a second frequency; and

a third loop containing section, the loops in said third loop containing section occurring at said second frequency that is higher than said first frequency,

said third loop containing section is joined to said first and said second loop containing sections and a plurality of first loop containing sections form a first band of loops and a plurality of second and third loop containing sections form a second band of loops, said first and second bands alternating at least two consecutive repetitions along the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each band of cells at the ends of the stent are formed of square cells.

2. A stent according to claim 1, wherein the two bands of cells at each end of the stern are formed of square cells.

3. A stent according to claim 1, wherein the stent is formed of two adjacent bands of triangular cells alternating with one band of square cells.