Apparatus having variable strut length and methods of use
First Claim
1. A tubular prosthesis comprising:
- a plurality of tubular rings radially expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration, each ring comprising a plurality of axially oriented struts interconnected so as to form a plurality of high peaks and a plurality of low peaks, the plurality of high peaks and the plurality of low peaks being circumferentially arranged to form an alternating series of at least one high peak and at least one low peak, the high and low peaks having apices oriented in the same axial direction, the apices of the high peaks being axially offset from the apices of the low peaks, the apices of the high peaks being axially aligned with one another, the apices of low peaks being axially aligned with one another; and
at least one non-linear bridge member coupling each pair of adjacent tubular rings together, the at least one non-linear bridge member having a first end connected to a first low peak in a first tubular ring of a respective pair of adjacent tubular rings and a second end connected to a second low peak in a second tubular ring of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings, and a non-linear intermediate portion extending between the first and second ends, wherein the non-linear intermediate portion includes a transverse portion extending in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular prosthesis when the prosthesis is in the contracted configuration,wherein the apices of the high and low peaks in the first tubular ring are circumferentially offset from the apices of the high and low peaks in the second tubular ring such that the first low peak in the first tubular ring is circumferentially offset from the second low peak in the second tubular ring, andwherein each and every bridge member of the prosthesis extends circumferentially between adjacent unconnected high peaks of the first and second adjacent tubular rings of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings connected by the respective bridge member and extends a length greater than a circumferential distance between the respective adjacent unconnected high peaks of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings such that the respective bridge member inhibits contact between and overlapping of the adjacent unconnected high peaks of the respective adjacent tubular rings during flexure of the tubular prosthesis in the contracted configuration,wherein the non-linear bridge member includes a portion, between the first end and the second end, having a reduced thickness by curving inward on only one side to facilitate flexibility between the first and second tubular rings coupled with the non-linear bridge member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tubular prosthesis has a plurality of tubular rings that are radially expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration. Each ring comprises a plurality of axially oriented struts that are interconnected so as to form a circumferential series of at least one high peak and at least one low peak. The high and low peaks have apices that are oriented in the same axial direction. The apices of the high and low peaks are also oriented in the same direction and the apices of the high peaks are axially offset from the apices of the low peaks. A bridge member couples a pair of adjacent tubular rings together. The bridge member has a first end connected to a first low peak in a first tubular ring and a second end connected to either a high or low peak in an adjacent tubular ring.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A tubular prosthesis comprising:
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a plurality of tubular rings radially expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration, each ring comprising a plurality of axially oriented struts interconnected so as to form a plurality of high peaks and a plurality of low peaks, the plurality of high peaks and the plurality of low peaks being circumferentially arranged to form an alternating series of at least one high peak and at least one low peak, the high and low peaks having apices oriented in the same axial direction, the apices of the high peaks being axially offset from the apices of the low peaks, the apices of the high peaks being axially aligned with one another, the apices of low peaks being axially aligned with one another; and at least one non-linear bridge member coupling each pair of adjacent tubular rings together, the at least one non-linear bridge member having a first end connected to a first low peak in a first tubular ring of a respective pair of adjacent tubular rings and a second end connected to a second low peak in a second tubular ring of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings, and a non-linear intermediate portion extending between the first and second ends, wherein the non-linear intermediate portion includes a transverse portion extending in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tubular prosthesis when the prosthesis is in the contracted configuration, wherein the apices of the high and low peaks in the first tubular ring are circumferentially offset from the apices of the high and low peaks in the second tubular ring such that the first low peak in the first tubular ring is circumferentially offset from the second low peak in the second tubular ring, and wherein each and every bridge member of the prosthesis extends circumferentially between adjacent unconnected high peaks of the first and second adjacent tubular rings of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings connected by the respective bridge member and extends a length greater than a circumferential distance between the respective adjacent unconnected high peaks of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings such that the respective bridge member inhibits contact between and overlapping of the adjacent unconnected high peaks of the respective adjacent tubular rings during flexure of the tubular prosthesis in the contracted configuration, wherein the non-linear bridge member includes a portion, between the first end and the second end, having a reduced thickness by curving inward on only one side to facilitate flexibility between the first and second tubular rings coupled with the non-linear bridge member. - 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, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A tubular prosthesis comprising:
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a plurality of tubular rings radially expandable from a contracted configuration to an expanded configuration, each ring comprising a plurality of axially oriented struts interconnected so as to form a plurality of high peaks and a plurality of low peaks, the plurality of high peaks and the plurality of low peaks being circumferentially arranged to form an alternating series of high peaks and low peaks, the high and low peaks having apices oriented in the same axial direction, the apices of the high peaks being axially offset from the apices of the low peaks, the apices of the high peaks being substantially axially aligned with one another, the apices of the low peaks being substantially axially aligned with one another, wherein each strut of the plurality has a width and is connected to a circumferentially adjacent strut of the plurality of struts at a common longitudinal end by a U-shaped connector, wherein each pair of adjacent tubular rings of the plurality of tubular rings are circumferentially offset from one another such that a high peak on a first tubular ring of a respective pair of adjacent tubular rings is disposed circumferentially between two high peaks on a second tubular ring of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings along a longitudinal axis of the prosthesis; and a plurality of bridge members coupling each pair of adjacent tubular rings together, each and every bridge member having a first end connected to a low peak of the first tubular ring and a second end connected to a low peak of the adjacent tubular ring, wherein the first end of the bridge member is circumferentially offset from the second end of the bridge member, wherein each bridge member has a non-linear intermediate portion extending between the first and second ends, wherein the non-linear intermediate portion includes a transverse portion extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular prosthesis when the prosthesis is in the contracted configuration, wherein each and every bridge member of the prosthesis extends circumferentially between adjacent unconnected high peaks of first and second adjacent tubular rings of the respective adjacent pair of tubular rings connected by the respective bridge member and extends a length greater than a circumferential distance between the respective adjacent unconnected high peaks of the respective pair of adjacent tubular rings such that the respective bridge member inhibits contact between and overlapping of the unconnected adjacent high peaks of the respective adjacent tubular rings during flexure of the tubular prosthesis in the contracted configuration, wherein the non-linear bridge member includes a portion, between the first end and the second end, having a reduced thickness by curving inward on only one side to facilitate flexibility between the first and second tubular rings coupled with the non-linear bridge member. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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Specification