Tracheal stent with longitudinal ribs to minimize stent movement, coughing and halitosis

A stent anchoring system for deployment in a lumen of a vessel, the system comprising:

• an expandable tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis extending through the proximal and distal ends, an inner surface, an outer surface, a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface, and a circumference in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a plurality of cleats extending outwardly from the outer surface of the expandable tubular member, each cleat having an outer surface, a first lateral surface, a second lateral surface, and end surfaces, wherein the first and second lateral surfaces are longer than end surfaces of the cleat, each cleat spaced apart from a circumferentially adjacent surface protrusion, the plurality of cleats defining flow passages therebetween, wherein each cleat is positioned at a non-parallel angle to the longitudinal axis of the expandable tubular member, and each cleat is spaced apart both axially and circumferentially from an adjacent cleat, the plurality of cleats forming a plurality of cleat sets wherein the lateral sides of cleats in a cleat set define a cleat area;
• and
• a plurality of holes extending through the outer surface of the tubular member and sized to allow transfer of fluid therethrough, wherein each hole is positioned in a cleat area.

A stent anchoring system for deployment in a lumen of a vessel, the system comprising:

• an expandable tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis extending through the proximal and distal ends, an inner surface, an outer surface, a thickness between the inner surface and the outer surface, and a circumference in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a plurality of ribs extending outwardly from the outer surface of the expandable tubular member, each rib having an outer surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral surface, each rib spaced apart from a circumferentially adjacent rib, wherein each rib extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the tubular member and flow passages are positioned between circumferentially adjacent ribs, circumferentially adjacent ribs being symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the tubular member;
• further wherein each rib has a wave-like pattern with peaks and troughs, and a peak of a first rib confronts a trough of a circumferentially adjacent rib.