Stent with variable features to optimize support and method of making such stent

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with a distal row disposed at the distal end of the stent and a proximal row disposed at the proximal end of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member;
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member;
• and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the cells of the proximal row have second and fourth members that are shorter than the first and third members.

An expandable stent comprising:

• a) a plurality of flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of flexible rows along the longitudinal axis with a distal row of cells disposed at the distal end of the stent and a proximal row of cells disposed at the proximal end of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member, and a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member;
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member;
• and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the cells of the distal row have first and third members that are shorter than the second and fourth members, and wherein the cells of the proximal row have second and fourth members that are shorter than the first and third members.

An expandable stent having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• a) a plurality of first circumferential bands arranged along the longitudinal axis of the stent, each first circumferential band defining a generally serpentine pattern comprising a plurality of strut members and a plurality of loops;
• b) a second circumferential band disposed at least at one end of the stent, each second circumferential band defining a generally serpentine pattern comprising a plurality of strut members and a plurality of loops, wherein the strut members of each second circumferential band are shorter in length than the strut members of each first circumferential band;
• and
• c) a plurality of flexible connectors coupling adjacent circumferential bands.

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal section, a central section, a distal section and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with at least one row of cells disposed in the distal section of the stent, at least one row of cells disposed in the central section of the stent, and at least one row of cells disposed in the a proximal section of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member;
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member;
• and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the distal section of the stent are more flexible than the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the central section of the stent.

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal section, a central section, a distal section and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with at least one row of cells disposed in the distal section of the stent, at least one row of cells disposed in the central section of the stent and at least one row of cells disposed in the proximal section of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member,
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member;
• and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the first aid second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the distal section are narrower than the first and the second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the central section of the stent.

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal section, a central section, a distal section and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with at least one row of cells disposed in the distal section of the stent, at least one row of cells disposed in the central section of the stent and at least one row of cells disposed in the proximal section of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member;
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member;
• and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the distal section are formed of a smaller gauge material than the material of the first and the second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the central section of the stent.

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal section, a central section, a distal section and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with at least one row of cells disposed in the distal section of the stent, at least one row of cells disposed in the central section of the stent, aid at least one row of cells disposed in the a proximal section of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member;
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member, and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the proximal section of the stent are more flexible than the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the central section of the stent.

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal section, a central section, a distal section and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with at least one row of cells disposed in the distal section of the stent, at least one row of cells disposed in the central section of the stent and at least one row of cells disposed in the proximal section of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member,
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member, and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the proximal section are narrower than the first and the second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the central section of the stent.

An expandable stent, comprising:

• a) a plurality of interconnected flexible cells defining a stent having a proximal section, a central section, a distal section and a longitudinal axis, the cells arranged in a plurality of interconnected flexible rows disposed along the longitudinal axis of the stent with at least one row of cells disposed in the distal section of the stent, at least one row of cells disposed in the central section of the stent and at least one row of cells disposed in the proximal section of the stent, each of the flexible cells comprising a first member, a second member, a third member and, a fourth member;
• b) a first C-shaped loop disposed between the first member and the third member,
• c) a second C-shaped loop disposed between the second member and the fourth member;
• d) a first flexible connector disposed between the first member and the second member;
• and
• e) a second flexible connector disposed between the third member and the fourth member, wherein the first and second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the proximal section are formed of a smaller gauge material than the material of the first and the second flexible connectors in the cells of the at least one row of cells in the central section of the stent.