Longitudinally flexible expandable stent

• US 6,776,793 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Skubitz, Sean P., Davis, Michael, Ley, Timothy J., Friesen, David, Brown, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Vy Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/878,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 256/108, 256/191, 256/194, 606/198, 623/1.1, 623/1.11, 623/1.12, 623/1.13, 623/1.14, 623/1.15, 623/1.16, 623/1.17, 623/1.18, 623/1.19, 623/1.2
• US Class Current: 623/1.15
• 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 2/88 the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils forming a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/89 the wire-like elements comprising two or more adjacent rings flexibly connected by separate members
• 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 2002/91558 connected peak to peak
• 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 2210/0019 operated at only one temperature whilst inside or touching the human body, e.g. constrained in a non-operative shape during surgery, another temperature only occurring before the operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/005 using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0058 soldered or brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0054 V-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0018 differing in elasticity, stiffness or compressibility

Abstract

Stent comprised of a plurality of serpentine bands of different frequencies and/or amplitudes.

Claims

1. A stent having a sidewall with a plurality of openings therethrough, the stent having a length, the stent comprising a plurality of tubular serpentine bands including:

first tubular serpentine bands having alternating peaks and toughs, each first tubular serpentine band having peaks disposed at a distal end of the first tubular serpentine band and troughs disposed at a proximal end of the first tabular serpentine band; and

second tubular serpentine bands having alternating peaks and troughs, each second tubular serpentine band having peaks disposed at a distal end of the second tubular serpentine band and troughs disposed at a proximal end of the second tubular serpentine band, the first tubular serpentine bands baiting more peaks and troughs than the second tubular serpentine bands;

the first and second tubular serpentine bands alternating along the length of the stent,

each first tubular serpentine band which is proximally adjacent to a second tubular serpentine band connected thereto peak to trough at a plurality of locations, each first tubular serpentine band including some peaks which are not directly connected to an adjacent second tubular serpentine band,

wherein each of the first and second tubular serpentine bands extends around a whole circumference of the stent and each of the openings in the sidewall is bounded at one end by a portion of a first tubular serpentine band and at another end by a portion of a second tubular serpentine band.

2. The stent of claim 1 wherein all of the peaks within a tubular serpentine band are aligned about a circumference of the stent.