Intravascular stent with a plurality of first and second peaks

• US 8,257,426 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Gomez, Andreina P., Uyen Ta, Diem
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRASZHEIM, REBECCA L
• Application Number:
  US12/416,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20090192589A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2002/9155 Adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough

Abstract

The invention is directed to an expandable stent for implanting in a body lumen, such as a coronary artery, peripheral artery, or other body lumen. The invention provides for an intravascular stent having a plurality of cylindrical rings connected by undulating links. The stent has a high degree of flexibility in the longitudinal direction, yet has adequate vessel wall coverage and radial strength sufficient to hold open an artery or other body lumen. The stent can be compressed or crimped onto a catheter to a very low profile since the peaks that are adjacent the curved portion of the undulating link are shorter than other peaks in the same cylindrical ring to prevent overlap yet still achieve a very low profile, tightly crimped stent onto a catheter.

Claims

1. A flexible intravascular stent for use in a body lumen, comprising:

a plurality of cylindrical rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and interconnected to form the stent, each cylindrical ring having a first delivery diameter and a second implanted diameter;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of first peaks, each of the first peaks having a first amplitude, the first peaks of each ring aligning along a single plane perpendicular to the common longitudinal axis;

each cylindrical ring having a plurality of second peaks, each second peak having a second amplitude, the second amplitude being shorter than the first amplitude;

each cylindrical ring having a valley disposed between all peaks;

a plurality of undulating links attaching each cylindrical ring to an adjacent cylindrical ring, each undulating link extending between a valley of one ring of the plurality of cylindrical rings and a valley of an adjacent ring of the plurality of cylindrical rings, the undulating links having a curved portion extending transverse to the common longitudinal axis toward one of said plurality of second peaks the second amplitude of the second peaks being sized so that as the stent is compressed to the first delivery diameter, the curved portion of each undulating link is longitudinally aligned with said one of said plurality of second peaks and transversely aligned with said first peaks;

each undulating link having a first arm that is substantially straight and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second arm that is substantially curved; and

the undulating links successively disposed along the common longitudinal axis of the stent being circumferentially offset relative to one another.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the first arm has a length and the second arm has a length, the length of the first arm being substantially greater than the length of the second arm.

3. The stent of claim 1, wherein the second arm has a first end attached to a base of a Y-shaped element.

4. The stent of claim 3, wherein the second arm has a second end attached to a straight portion of the undulating link.

5. The stent of claim 1, wherein the second arm is longitudinally flexible.

6. The stent of claim 1, wherein the second arm does not expand longitudinally when the stent is expanded from the first delivery diameter to the second implanted diameter.