Longitudinally flexible stent
First Claim
1. A stent comprising:
- a plurality of first loop containing sections arranged generally in a circumferential direction and spaced apart from one another, loops in said first loop containing sections occurring at a first frequency;
a plurality of second loop containing sections, loops in said second loop containing sections occurring at a second frequency that is higher than said first frequency, said second loop containing sections consecutively alternating with said first loop containing sections along a longitudinal axis of the stent, each of said second loop containing sections being alternately joined to longitudinally neighboring first loop containing sections around the circumference of the stent,said first loop containing sections and said second loop containing sections form a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists essentially of one loop of the first loop containing section and three loops of the second loop containing section, said loops opening toward the inside of the cell, andsaid first loop containing sections provide radial support upon expansion of the stent and said second loop containing sections provide longitudinal flexibility of the stent.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An intravascular stent especially suited for implanting in curved arterial portion. The stent retains longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The stent is formed of intertwined meander patterns forming triangular cells. The cells are adapted to provide radial support, and also provide longitudinal flexibility after expansion. The cells also provide increase coverage of a vessel wall. Loops in the stent are disposed and adapted to cooperate, so that after expansion of said stent within a curved lumen, the stent is curved and cells on the outside of the curve open in length, but narrow in width, whereas cells on the inside of the curve shorten in length, but thicken in width to maintain a density of the stent element area which is much more constant than otherwise between the inside and outside of the curve. The stent also minimizes flaring out by eliminating free loops of the radially supporting circumferential bands of loops.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A stent comprising:
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a plurality of first loop containing sections arranged generally in a circumferential direction and spaced apart from one another, loops in said first loop containing sections occurring at a first frequency; a plurality of second loop containing sections, loops in said second loop containing sections occurring at a second frequency that is higher than said first frequency, said second loop containing sections consecutively alternating with said first loop containing sections along a longitudinal axis of the stent, each of said second loop containing sections being alternately joined to longitudinally neighboring first loop containing sections around the circumference of the stent, said first loop containing sections and said second loop containing sections form a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists essentially of one loop of the first loop containing section and three loops of the second loop containing section, said loops opening toward the inside of the cell, and said first loop containing sections provide radial support upon expansion of the stent and said second loop containing sections provide longitudinal flexibility of the stent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A stent comprising:
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a plurality of first circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops at a first frequency and disposed in phase relative to one another; a plurality of second circumferential bands containing a pattern of loops at a second frequency higher than said first frequency, said second circumferential bands consecutively alternating with said first circumferential bands along a longitudinal axis of the stent, said second circumferential band alternately joining to neighboring bands of said first circumferential bands, said first circumferential bands and said second circumferential bands forming a plurality of cells, wherein each cell consists essentially of one loop of said first circumferential band and three loops of said second circumferential band, said loops opening toward the inside of the cell, and said first circumferential bands are relatively adapted to provide radial support upon expansion of the stent and said second circumferential bands are relatively adapted to provide longitudinal flexibility of the stent. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. 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, consecutively alternating with said first circumferential bands and periodically coupled 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 loops of the first circumferential bands are in phase with each other, each cell consisting essentially of one loop of the first circumferential band and three loops of the second circumferential band opening toward the inside of the cell, the second circumferential band having at least one loop longitudinally shorter than another loop in the second circumferential band. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A stent comprising a plurality of cells, each of said plurality of cells consisting essentially of:
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four loops, said loops opening toward the inside of the cell; a first member having a first end and a second end; a second member having a first end and a second end; said first end and said second end of each of said first member and said second member include a curved portion with a substantially linear portion in between said first end and second end, said curved portion of said first end of said first member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said second member forming a first loop; a third member having a first end and a second end; a fourth member having a first end and a second end; a fifth member having a first end and a second end; a sixth member having a first end and a second end; a seventh member having a first end and a second end; an eighth member having a first end and a second end; and said first end and said second end of each of said third member, said fourth member, said fifth member, said sixth member, said seventh member, and said eighth member include a curved portion with a substantially linear portion in between said first end and second end, said curved portion of said second end of said second member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said third member, said curved portion of said second end of said third member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said fourth member forming a second loop, said curved portion of said second end of said fourth member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said fifth member, said curved portion of said second end of said fifth member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said sixth member forming a third loop, said curved portion of said second end of said sixth member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said seventh member, said curved portion of said second end of said seventh member communicating with said curved portion of said first end of said eighth member forming a fourth loop, said curved portion of said second end of said eighth member communicating with said curved portion of said second end of said first member. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification