Longitudinally flexible stent
First Claim
1. A stent comprisinga 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 also occurring at said first frequency and a third loop containing section, the loops in said third loop containing section occurring at a second frequency that is higher than said first frequency, the third loop containing section disposed in the generally circumferential space between said first and second loop containing sections and alternately joined to said first and second loop containing sections such that said first and second loop containing sections are joined together through the third loop containing section without connection directly between the first and second loop containing sections, wherein the first and second loop containing sections have two cycles for every three cycles of said third loop containing section, wherein the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section and the third loop containing section form at least one cell, the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section in the at least one cell further has at least one loop longitudinally shorter than another loop in the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portions. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent includes a plurality of first circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops at a first frequency and a plurality of second circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops at a second frequency higher than said first frequency, alternating with said first circumferential bands and periodically coupled thereto to form cells. The high frequency elements provide a flexibility after expansions which can be repeatedly stress by the beating heart, with out exceeding the elastic limit of the stent material.
164 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A stent 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 also occurring at said first frequency and a third loop containing section, the loops in said third loop containing section occurring at a second frequency that is higher than said first frequency, the third loop containing section disposed in the generally circumferential space between said first and second loop containing sections and alternately joined to said first and second loop containing sections such that said first and second loop containing sections are joined together through the third loop containing section without connection directly between the first and second loop containing sections, wherein the first and second loop containing sections have two cycles for every three cycles of said third loop containing section, wherein the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section and the third loop containing section form at least one cell, the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section in the at least one cell further has at least one loop longitudinally shorter than another loop in the first loop containing section or the second loop containing section. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A stent comprising:
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a plurality of first circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops at a first frequency, a plurality of second circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops at a second frequency higher than said first frequency, alternating with said first circumferential bands and periodically coupled thereto to form cells such that said first circumferential bands are joined together through said second circumferential bands without connection directly between said first circumferential bands wherein the first circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops are comprised of even first circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops and odd first circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops which are 180 degrees out of phase with the loops of the even first circumferential bands, an odd first circumferential band occurring between every two even first circumferential bands, wherein each cell includes two cycles of one of said plurality of first circumferential bands and three cycles of one of said plurality of second circumferential bands such that the first circumferential band has at least one loop shorter than another loop in the first circumferential band. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification