Stent and method for maintaining the area of a body lumen

摘要

A stent comprises (a) a first segment that is radially compressible and expandable and (b) a second segment that is substantially rigid in a radial direction. The second segment is bendable to assume a curved configuration while remaining substantially rigid in the radial direction and thereby resisting radial compression and expansion.

主权项

1. A method for helping to maintain the cross-sectional area of a body lumen using a stent, the stent including at least a first end segment that is radially compressible and expandable and at least a second end segment being bendable to assume a curved configuration while resisting radial compression and expansion in a deployed state, said method comprising:
(a) positioning the at least first end segment of the stent in a coronary ostia; (b) positioning the at least second end segment of the stent in an aorta; (c) expanding the at least first end segment of the stent in the coronary ostia so as to engage a wall defining the coronary ostia and thereby to anchor the stent in the coronary ostia; and (d) bending the at least second end segment of the stent without increasing the outer diameter of the at least second end segment so that the at least second end segment of the stent extends at least partially in a lengthwise direction of the aorta.