Radially expandable polymer prosthesis and method of making same
AssigneeAbbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
InventorsBrenna Hearn Lord, Nicole F. Perzov, Timothy A. Limon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Polymeric stents having fracture toughness and resistance to recoil after deployment are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such stents. Improvements to mechanical characteristics and other improvements may be achieved by having polymer chains within individual stent struts oriented in a direction that is closer to or in line with the axis of the individual stent struts. The struts are connected to each other by hinge elements that are configured to bend during crimping and deployment of the stent. Ring struts form ring structures. A ring structure can have an overall curvilinear length from about 12 mm to about 15 mm.
Claims20
An endoprosthesis comprising:
- a tubular network of struts cut from a radially expanded polymer tube, the tubular network comprising W-shaped closed cells, each W-shaped closed cell abutting six other W-shaped closed cells, each W-shaped closed cell comprising ring struts, link struts, U-shaped hinge elements, and Y-shaped hinge elements, the ring struts forming a plurality of ring structures, each ring structure connected to another one of the ring structures by at least one link strut, each U-shaped hinge element connecting exactly two ring struts to each other, the U-shaped hinge element being tangent to the two ring struts, each Y-shaped hinge element connecting a link strut to exactly two ring struts,
- wherein each ring structure has an overall curvilinear length from about 12 mm to about 15 mm.
A method of making an endoprosthesis, the method comprising:
- cutting a radially expanded polymer tube to form a tubular network of struts, the tubular network comprising W-shaped closed cells, each W-shaped closed cell abutting six other W-shaped closed cells, each W-shaped closed cell comprising ring struts, link struts, U-shaped hinge elements, and Y-shaped hinge elements, the ring struts forming a plurality of ring structures, each ring structure connected to another one of the ring structures by at least one link strut, each U-shaped hinge element connecting exactly two ring struts to each other, the U-shaped hinge element being tangent to the two ring struts, each Y-shaped hinge element connecting a link strut to exactly two ring struts,
- wherein each ring structure has an overall curvilinear length from about 12 mm to about 15 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.