Stent with Graduated Stiffness

A stent comprising:

• a generally tubular stent body being disposed about a longitudinal axis, the stent body having a first region, a second region, and a third region therebetween;
• a plurality of circumferential serpentine bands;
• and
• a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two immediately adjacent circumferential bands, each connector column comprising at least one connector, each connector connected at one end to one serpentine band and at another end to an immediately adjacent serpentine band, each of the connectors having a length and extending in a substantially longitudinal direction,
• wherein the number of the connectors in a connector column generally decreases from the first region to the third region, and
• wherein the number of the connectors in a connector column generally decreases from the second region to the third region.

A bifurcated stent comprising:

• a generally tubular stent body, the stent body being disposed about a longitudinal axis, the stent body having an unexpanded state and an expanded state, the stent body further having a first region and a second region, the first region being engaged to the second region, at least a portion of the first region defining at least one side opening, the side opening having a perimeter;
• a plurality of circumferential serpentine bands;
• a plurality of connector columns, each connector column located between two immediately adjacent serpentine bands, each connector column comprising at least one connector, each connector connected at one end to one serpentine band and at another end to an immediately adjacent serpentine band, each of the connectors having a length,
• wherein the connectors of the first region have a first length substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and
• wherein the connectors of the second region have a length greater than the first length and form an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis,
• a side branch structure, the side branch structure being adjacent the side opening perimeter and having at least one outwardly deployable petal, wherein in the expanded state the at least one petal extends outwardly from the perimeter.