Non-foreshortening stent

A stent defining a lumen having a longitudinal axis, the stent comprising:

• a plurality of cylindrical rings spaced along the longitudinal axis, each of the cylindrical rings including a plurality of struts interconnected such that an apex and a trough is formed at the connection between each adjacent pair of struts, each of the struts having a straight portion extending between curved apex portions at opposite ends of the straight portion, and each of the struts having a strut length, a main strut width, and an apex strut width;
• and
• a plurality of flexible connectors extending between adjacent pairs of the cylindrical rings, each of the flexible connectors including a connector strut having a main connector width, opposite first and second ends, and an apex having an apex connector width between the first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends of the connector strut is connected to the straight portion and spaced from the curved apex portion of one of the struts of the adjacent cylindrical rings;
• wherein the apex strut width is less than the main strut width, and wherein the apex connector width is less than the main connector width so as to reduce foreshortening of the stent along the longitudinal axis upon radial expansion;
• wherein the plurality of struts of each of the cylindrical rings includes a plurality of first struts each having a first strut length, a plurality of second struts each having a second strut length that is less than the first strut length, and a plurality of third struts each having a third strut length that is greater than the first strut length, and wherein each of the flexible connectors is connected to at least one of the first struts.

A stent defining a lumen having a longitudinal axis, the stent comprising:

• a plurality of cylindrical rings spaced along the longitudinal axis, each of the cylindrical rings including a plurality of struts interconnected such that an apex and a trough is formed at the connection between each adjacent pair of struts, each of the struts having a straight portion extending between curved apex portions at opposite ends of the straight portion, and each of the struts having a strut length, a main strut width, and an apex strut width;
• and
• a plurality of flexible connectors extending between adjacent pairs of the cylindrical rings, each of the flexible connectors including a connector strut having a main connector width, opposite first and second ends, and an apex having an apex connector width between the first and second ends, wherein each of the first and second ends of the connector strut is connected to the straight portion and spaced from the curved apex portion of one of the struts of the adjacent cylindrical rings;
• wherein the apex strut width is less than the main strut width, wherein the apex connector width is less than the main connector width, and wherein the main connector width is less than the apex strut width so as to reduce foreshortening of the stent along the longitudinal axis upon radial expansion;
• wherein the plurality of struts of each of the cylindrical rings includes a plurality of first struts each having a first strut length and a plurality of second struts each having a second strut length that is less than the first strut length, and wherein each of the flexible connectors is connected to at least one of the first struts.