Bifurcated stent

#Not Applicable

#Stents, grafts, stent-grafts, vena cava filters and similar implantable medical devices, collectively referred to hereinafter as stents, are radially expandable endoprostheses which are typically intravascular implants capable of being implanted transluminally and enlarged radially after being introduced percutaneously. Stents may be implanted in a variety of body lumens or vessels such as within the vascular system, urinary tracts, bile ducts, etc. Stents may be used to reinforce body vessels and to prevent restenosis following angioplasty in the vascular system. They may be self-expanding or expanded by an internal radial force, such as when mounted on a balloon.

#Stents are generally tubular devices for insertion into body lumens. Balloon expandable stents require mounting over a balloon, positioning, and inflation of the balloon to expand the stent radially outward. Self-expanding stents expand into place when unconstrained, without requiring assistance from a balloon. A self-expanding stent is biased so as to expand upon release from the delivery catheter. Some stents may be characterized as hybrid stents which have some characteristics of both self-expandable and balloon expandable stents.

#A detailed description of the invention is hereafter described with specific reference being made to the drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an embodiment of the invention in the deployed state.

#FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

#As indicated above the present invention includes many different embodiments. In some embodiments the invention is directed to various designs of bifurcated stents. In FIG. 1 an example of a bifurcated stent is shown wherein the bifurcated stent, shown generally at 10, is comprised of at least two stent portions 12 and 14. Portions 12 and 14 are preferably self-expanding coils or coil members 16 and 18 of wire.

#In the present application the term “wire” refers to a pliable strand of elongated material which provides structural support. A wire may be characterized as having an elliptical or cylindrical cross-section, or having a more ribbon-like, flattened cross-section. Where the wire has a substantially round or circular cross-section, in some embodiments the wire has a diameter of about 0.002 to about 0.008 mm. Where a particular characteristic of the wire used to form coil 18 is noteworthy the relevant characteristics is noted and/or discussed in greater detail.

#Where the stent portions 12 and 14 are self-expanding coils 16 and 18, the coils may be constructed from a shape memory metal such as nitinol or elgiloy or a shape memory polymer.