Radially expandable stent

摘要

A highly compressible stent is described. The stent includes a plurality of circumferentially offset and interconnected undulating rings having intermediate struts disposed between at least some of the undulating ring struts.

主权项

1. A stent comprising:
at least first, second and third spaced-apart, radially expandable rings that are substantially aligned along a longitudinal axis, each ring comprising a plurality of first struts and a plurality of second struts, the first and second struts being connected to form an undulating pattern that has peak portions and valley portions, first curved connectors joining one or more of the valley portions of the first ring to one or more of the peak portions of the second ring, the valley portions and peak portions being circumferentially offset from one another, second curved connectors joining one or more of the valley portions of the second ring to one or more of the peak portions of the third ring, the valley portions and peak portions being circumferentially offset from one another, a first intermediate strut extending between a first strut of the first ring to a first strut of the second ring without intersecting any of the other first and second struts and first and second curved connectors and; a second intermediate strut extending between a second strut of the second ring to a second strut of the third ring without intersecting any of the other first and second struts and first and second curved connectors, in use, the stent movable from a first delivery position to a second placement position, in the first delivery position the stent being in a fully unexpanded position and having a first diameter and in the second position the stent being in a radially expanded position and having a second diameter greater than the first diameter for placement at a treatment site of a patient; wherein the first and second intermediate struts are connected to locations on the first and second struts, respectively, such that no portions of the first and second intermediate struts overlap either in a circumferential direction around the stent or in an axial direction along the stent when the stent is in the fully unexpanded position.