Endoluminal grafts having continuously curvilinear wireforms

A wireform for medical stents or grafts, comprising:

• a ring-shaped wireform defining a central axis and including a wire shaped with a plurality of curvilinear waveforms, the waveforms having a plurality of first co-planar apices and a plurality of second co-planar apices, the first and second apices alternating and extending in opposite directions, and a plurality of curvilinear segments extending between and connecting the alternating first and second apices, the curvilinear segments each having a direction of curvature in the same rotational orientation about the central axis as an adjacent curvilinear segment.

An intraluminal graft that is highly compactable, comprising:

• a biocompatible pliable tube, and
• a plurality of annular wireforms, each wireform defining a central axis and including in a radially expanded state:
• a wire having a zig-zag shape with a plurality of first apices extending in one axial direction and a plurality of second apices extending in the opposite axial direction, and a plurality of curvilinear segments extending between and connecting the alternating first and second apices, the curvilinear segments each having a direction of curvature in the same rotational orientation about the central axis as an adjacent curvilinear segment so that in a reduced-diameter state the curvilinear segments nest together.