Flexible stent structure
AssigneeAvantec Vascular Corporation
InventorJohn Yan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Luminal prostheses comprise adjacent expansible segments, typically serpentine ring segments joined by sigmoidal links. By properly orienting the sigmoidal links and aligning hinge regions on adjacent serpentine rings, enhanced opening characteristics can be obtained. Additionally, by varying the mechanical characteristics of adjacent serpentine rings, program expansion of the luminal prostheses over their lengths may be obtained. The disclosed prostheses also have controllable opening characteristics and can be crimped to small diameters.
Claims26
A radially expansible luminal prosthesis comprising scaffold consisting essentially of:
- a plurality of serpentine ring segments including struts having hinge regions being circumferentially offset with axially proximate apices and side regions disposed on either side of the apices;
- and
- sigmoidal links between hinge regions on adjacent serpentine rings and attached on a side of the hinge regions;
- wherein an imaginary line bisecting an angle at an apex formed between two adjoining struts is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the prosthesis;
- and
- wherein each serpentine ring segment and the adjacent sigmoidal links form a cell and wherein each cell is substantially similar in shape.
A radially expansible luminal prosthesis comprising a scaffold consisting essentially of:
- a plurality of serpentine ring segments including struts having hinge regions being circumferentially offset with axially proximate apices and side regions which are disposed on either side of the apex;
- and
- sigmoidal links between hinge regions and comprising two connecting legs with each connecting leg attached in a circumferential direction to a side of the hinge regions;
- wherein an imaginary line bisecting an angle at an apex formed between two adjoining struts is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the prosthesis;
- and
- wherein each serpentine ring segment and the adjacent sigmoidal links form a cell and wherein each cell is substantially similar in shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.