Intravascular implants

A self-expanding stent, comprising:

• a plurality of rings adjacently positioned along a longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the rings including a plurality of struts interconnected in a zigzag pattern to form alternating apexes and troughs;
• and
• a plurality of flexible bridge members extending between apexes of adjacent pairs of the plurality of rings to connect the adjacent pairs, wherein the flexible bridge members are formed in a plurality of different geometries and the geometry of the flexible bridge members varies from one pair of connected rings to the next adjacent pair of connected rings along the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the plurality of flexible bridge members comprises:
• a first set of bridge members connecting a first pair of the rings, each of the bridge members of the first set formed as a generally z-shaped bridge member including two acutely-angled bends and three bridge struts oriented neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each of the bridge members of the first set having a first orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent;
• a second set of bridge members connecting a second pair of the rings, each of the bridge members of the second set formed as a generally z-shaped bridge member including two acutely-angled bends and three bridge struts oriented neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each of the bridge members of the second set having a second orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the second orientation is a mirror image of the first orientation with respect to a transverse plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent and positioned at a longitudinal midpoint of the stent;
• a third set of bridge members connecting a third pair of the rings and being arranged in a first unequally-spaced distribution in a circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the bridge members of the third set having two rounded bends and a third orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent;
• and
• a fourth set of bridge members connecting a fourth pair of the rings and being arranged in a second unequally-spaced distribution in the circumferential direction, each of the bridge members of the fourth set having two rounded bends and a fourth orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the second unequally-spaced distribution is a mirror image of the first unequally-spaced distribution with respect to the transverse plane, and wherein the fourth orientation is a mirror image of the third orientation with respect to the transverse plane.

A self-expanding stent, comprising:

• a plurality of rings adjacently positioned along a longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the rings including a plurality of struts interconnected in a zigzag pattern to form alternating apexes and troughs;
• and
• a plurality of flexible bridge members extending between apexes of adjacent pairs of the plurality of rings to connect the adjacent pairs, wherein the flexible bridge members are formed in a plurality of different geometries and the geometry of the flexible bridge members varies from one pair of connected rings to the next adjacent pair of connected rings along the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the plurality of flexible bridge members comprises:
• a first set of bridge members connecting a first pair of the rings and being arranged in a first equally-spaced distribution in a circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis of the stent, each of the bridge members of the first set formed as a generally z-shaped bridge member including two acutely-angled bends and three bridge struts oriented neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each of the bridge members of the first set having a first orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent;
• a second set of bridge members connecting a second pair of the rings and being arranged in a second equally-spaced distribution in the circumferential direction, each of the bridge members of the second set formed as a generally z-shaped bridge member including two acutely-angled bends and three bridge struts oriented neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each of the bridge members of the second set having a second orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the second orientation is a mirror image of the first orientation with respect to a transverse plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent;
• a third set of bridge members connecting a third pair of the rings and being arranged in a first unequally-spaced distribution in the circumferential direction, each of the bridge members of the third set formed as a generally s-shaped bridge member including two rounded bends and three bridge struts oriented neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each of the bridge members of the third set having a third orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent;
• and
• a fourth set of bridge members connecting a fourth pair of the rings and being arranged in a second unequally-spaced distribution in the circumferential direction, each of the bridge members of the fourth set formed as a generally s-shaped bridge member including two rounded bends and three bridge struts oriented neither parallel nor perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stent, and each of the bridge members of the fourth set having a fourth orientation relative to the longitudinal axis of the stent, wherein the second unequally-spaced distribution is a mirror image of the first unequally-spaced distribution with respect to the transverse plane, and wherein the fourth orientation is a mirror image of the third orientation with respect to the transverse plane.