Expandable stent
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A stent comprising:
- a tubular body made up of a plurality of separate, radially expandable, tubular elements aligned along a common longitudinal axis, each tubular element being physically unconnected to any other tubular element when the tubular elements are radially expanded,wherein at least some of the tubular elements each comprise a plurality of closed cell elements, each closed cell element joined to a circumferentially-adjacent closed cell element by a circumferentially-extending linking member, each circumferentially-extending linking member being attached to two circumferentially-neighboring closed cell elements at respective spaced apart attachment points,wherein each closed-cell element comprises a pair of side members narrowing inwardly towards a side hinge to form a waist portion,wherein at least some of the closed cell elements comprise an inter-engaging element engageable with a corresponding inter-engaging element on an adjacent tubular element holding the adjacent tubular elements together when engaged, at least in an unexpanded condition of the stent,wherein the inter-engaging element comprises the pair of side members narrowing inwardly towards side hinge forming the waist portion such that two waist portions on circumferentially adjacent closed cell elements act together to retain the corresponding inter-engaging element on the adjacent tubular element;
wherein corresponding inter-engaging elements are movable relative to each other along the longitudinal axis when engaged allowing longitudinal movement between adjacent interlocked adjacent tubular elements so as to allow for increased flexibility of the stent in the unexpanded configuration and reduce shortening of the stent during expansion.
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Abstract
An expandable stent comprising a tubular body made up of a plurality of separated tubular elements (1) arranged along a common longitudinal axis. Each tubular element (1) comprises a plurality of rhombic-shaped closed cell elements (2) joined by circumferentially extending linking members (3). The closed cell elements (2) are expandable to allow the tubular elements, and hence the stent itself, to expand. In the direction of the longitudinal axis of the stent, the extremities of each of the closed cell elements has an enlarged loop (30) with waisted portions (33) which allow the tubular elements to interlock to create a stable structure, at least when in the unexpanded condition.
477 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A stent comprising:
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a tubular body made up of a plurality of separate, radially expandable, tubular elements aligned along a common longitudinal axis, each tubular element being physically unconnected to any other tubular element when the tubular elements are radially expanded, wherein at least some of the tubular elements each comprise a plurality of closed cell elements, each closed cell element joined to a circumferentially-adjacent closed cell element by a circumferentially-extending linking member, each circumferentially-extending linking member being attached to two circumferentially-neighboring closed cell elements at respective spaced apart attachment points, wherein each closed-cell element comprises a pair of side members narrowing inwardly towards a side hinge to form a waist portion, wherein at least some of the closed cell elements comprise an inter-engaging element engageable with a corresponding inter-engaging element on an adjacent tubular element holding the adjacent tubular elements together when engaged, at least in an unexpanded condition of the stent, wherein the inter-engaging element comprises the pair of side members narrowing inwardly towards side hinge forming the waist portion such that two waist portions on circumferentially adjacent closed cell elements act together to retain the corresponding inter-engaging element on the adjacent tubular element; wherein corresponding inter-engaging elements are movable relative to each other along the longitudinal axis when engaged allowing longitudinal movement between adjacent interlocked adjacent tubular elements so as to allow for increased flexibility of the stent in the unexpanded configuration and reduce shortening of the stent during expansion. - 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)
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Specification