# US 10,500,078 B2 · Implantable stent > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,500,078 B2 - Document ID: US10500078B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/916,843 - Filed: 2018-03-09 - Published: 2019-09-12 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2018-03-09 - Assignees: Vesper Medical, Inc. - Applicants: Vesper Medical, Inc. - Inventors: Michael A. Longo; William James Harrison - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500078B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/915: with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other - A61F 2/07: Stent-grafts - A61F 2/88: the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils - A61F 2/885: {comprising a coil including a plurality of spiral or helical sections with alternate directions around a central axis} - 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} - A61F 2250/0036: differing in thickness - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract Implantable stents that include strips that are each comprised of main struts connected by first connectors, and adjacent strips are connected by second connectors. The strut connectors have a structure, including areas of expanded or reduced width or thickness, to account for venous applications. When used for venous applications, the stents convey benefit from configurations that improve flexibility (due to the greater elasticity of venous applications) while maintaining enough stiffness to resist pressure on the venous structure in selected areas (such as for the May-Thurner syndrome). The stents include particular structural characteristics that are particularly advantageous for (although not limited to) venous applications. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stent comprising: at least one strip including a plurality of main struts and a plurality of first connector struts, wherein the main struts are obliquely oriented to a longitudinal axis of the stent, and wherein the at least one strip extends circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the first connector struts extend between and connect circumferentially adjacent pairs of the main struts and opposing ends of each main strut of the plurality of main struts define respective opposing edges of the at least one strip, and wherein more than two first connector struts connect each circumferentially adjacent pair of the main struts; and a plurality of second connector struts, wherein ends of the second connector struts are connected to the main struts between ends of the main struts so as to reduce foreshortening of the stent during expansion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the at least one strip is formed into a generally tubular structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the main struts are generally straight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the main struts of the at least one strip are each oriented at the same oblique angle to the longitudinal axis of the stent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The stent of claim 4, wherein the oblique angle is between 10 to 50 degrees from the longitudinal axis of the stent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein an end of one of the first connector struts is connected to an end of one of the main struts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The stent of claim 6, wherein an end of another one of the first connector struts is connected to an end of another one of the main struts. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the first connector struts are obliquely oriented to the longitudinal axis of the stent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The stent of claim 8, wherein the first connector struts of each strip are all oriented at the same oblique angle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the first connector struts are oriented generally opposite the main struts. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein each of the first connector struts is generally straight between its ends. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the ends of the second connector struts are attached to a middle portion of the main struts. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein each of the second connector struts has at least one bend. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein each of the second connector struts has two bends curving in generally opposite directions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The stent of claim 1, wherein the second connector struts attach to a side of the main struts opposite another side of the main struts to which the first connector struts are attached. ### Claim 16 A stent comprising: at least two strips including a plurality of main struts and a plurality of first connector struts, wherein the main struts are obliquely oriented to a longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the first connector struts extend between and connect circumferentially adjacent pairs of the main struts and opposing ends of each main strut of the plurality of main struts define respective opposing edges of each strip of the at least two strips, wherein more than two first connector struts connect each circumferentially adjacent pair of the main struts, and wherein the at least two strips extend circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the stent and form at least two respective circumferential rings; and a plurality of second connector struts extending between and connecting adjacent circumferential rings, wherein ends of the second connector struts are connected to the main struts between ends of the main struts so as to reduce foreshortening of the stent during expansion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The stent of claim 16, wherein the at least two circumferential rings extend serially along the longitudinal axis of the stent. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The stent of claim 16, wherein the second connector struts have an arc shape extending over a space between adjacent circumferential rings.