Non-Foreshortening intraluminal prosthesis

A stent having a first segment and a second segment, with each segment having a diameter and comprising:

• a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state;
• at least one connecting member connecting adjacent annular elements;
• a plurality of apertures defined by adjacent annular elements and connecting members, each aperture having a size and a geometric configuration;
• with the first and second segments having substantially the same diameter in the compressed state;
• and
• wherein the apertures of the first and second segments have different sizes but substantially the same geometric configuration when the first and second segments are in the expanded state.

A stent having a plurality of segments and comprising:

• a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state;
• a plurality of connecting members connecting adjacent annular elements;
• and
• a plurality of gaps formed by omitting at least one of the connecting members between adjacent annular elements so as to provide two of the plurality of segments of the stent with different degrees of flexibility.

A stent having a plurality of segments and comprising:

• a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state;
• a plurality of connecting members connecting adjacent annular elements;
• and
• wherein each annular element comprises a plurality of alternating struts and apices connected to each other to form a substantially annular configuration, and wherein the connecting members are connected to the apices of the adjacent annular elements;
• and wherein a plurality of gaps are formed by omitting at least one of the struts so as to provide two of the plurality of segments of the stent with different degrees of flexibility.

A stent comprising:

• a plurality of annular elements, each annular element having a compressed state and an expanded state, and each annular element including a plurality of alternating struts and apices connected to each other to form a substantially annular configuration;
• and
• at least one connecting member connecting adjacent annular elements;
• wherein at least one of the annular elements is closed such that the plurality of alternating struts and apices are connected to each other to form a closed annular element, and wherein at least one of the annular elements are open such that the plurality of alternating struts and apices are not connected at at least one location.