Intravascular stent

• US 9,408,727 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ainsworth, Stephen D., Cheng, E Tina, Jacobs, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prone, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesan, Suba
• Application Number:
  US13/889,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20140155986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,189 Days
• Field of Search: 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/844 folded prior to deployment
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/915 with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91516 the meander having a change in frequency along the band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91533 characterised by the phase between adjacent bands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91575 connected peak to trough
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/91583 by a bridge, whereby at least one of its ends is connected along the length of a strut between two consecutive apices within a band
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2210/0014 using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0013 Horseshoe-shaped, e.g. crescent-shaped, C-shaped, U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0036 differing in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys

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 a 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.

Claims

1. A method of expanding a longitudinally flexible stent without stent shortening, comprising:

providing a plurality of cylindrical rings, each cylindrical ring being connected to an adjacent cylindrical ring by only three undulating links, each of the undulating links having bends connected by straight portions;

aligning the straight portions of the undulating links perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stent and parallel to a circumferential direction of expansion;

expanding the cylindrical rings in the circumferential direction of expansion so that the rings expand radially outwardly while the bends in the undulating links remain unexpanded thereby preventing the stent from foreshortening during expansion;

after expanding the cylindrical rings, the bends of the links remain wholly nested within valleys of the cylindrical rings; and

positioning the links so that three undulating links connecting a first set of adjacent rings are circumferentially offset 60°

from three undulating links connecting a second set of adjacent rings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein after stent expansion, the bends of the undulating links remain unexpanded in order to provide flexibility and good vessel wall coverage.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein after expansion of the stent, an overall length of the stent is the same in an unexpanded configuration and an expanded configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the undulating links being perpendicular to the stent longitudinal axis creates a hinge to provide longitudinal flexibility to the stent.