Vascular stent with improved vessel wall apposition

A method of implanting a medical device in the neurovasculature comprising:

• inserting a guide catheter into the neurovasculature;
• inserting a microcatheter through the distal end of the guide catheter;
• inserting a vessel-engaging member into the microcatheter such that the distal portion of the member is located adjacent a treatment site in the neurovasculature, wherein the member comprises:
• a plurality of rows, each row having a plurality of struts arranged in an alternating pattern such that for each row, a first set of vertices is positioned on a proximal side and a second set of vertices is positioned on a distal side;
• a plurality of bridges positioned between each adjacent row, each of the bridges connecting a vertex of a first row with a vertex of a second row, the vertex of the first row lying substantially along a line parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vessel-engaging member and the vertex of the second row lying outside the line, each of the bridges extending continuously distally from the vertex of the first row to the vertex of the second row, a cross-sectional width of each of the plurality of bridges being less than a cross-sectional width of each of the struts to which that bridge connects;
• first and second tapered sections projecting from a proximal row and tapering in a direction from the proximal row toward a proximal end of the member;
• and
• withdrawing the microcatheter so as to expose and deploy the vessel-engaging member, the vessel-engaging member configured to expand against and engage the treatment site.

A method of implanting a medical device in a lumen at a tortuous curve, comprising:

• inserting a vessel-engaging member into the lumen, the member comprising:
• a plurality of rows, each row having a plurality of struts arranged in an alternating pattern such that for each row, a first set of vertices is positioned on a proximal side and a second set of vertices is positioned on a distal side;
• a plurality of bridges positioned between each adjacent row, each of the bridges connecting a vertex of a first row with a vertex of a second row, the vertex of the first row lying substantially along a line parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vessel-engaging member and the vertex of the second row lying outside the line, each of the bridges extending continuously distally from the vertex of the first row to the vertex of the second row, a cross-sectional width of each of the plurality of bridges being less than a cross-sectional width of each of the struts to which that bridge connects;
• first and second tapered sections projecting from a proximal row and tapering in a direction from the proximal row toward a proximal end of the member;
• and
• contacting a wall of the lumen with the member at an apex of the tortuous curve by deflecting the plurality of bridges adjacent to the apex so that vertices adjacent to the deflecting the plurality of bridges contact the wall of the lumen.