STENT WITH OPTIMAL STRENGTH AND RADIOPACITY CHARACTERISTICS

摘要

A stent in the form of a thin-walled, multi-cellular tubular structure is provided. The tubular structure has a longitudinal axis and the stent includes a plurality of circumferential sets of strut members. Each set of the strut members is longitudinally displaced from each other and connected to each other by longitudinally extending links. Each set of the strut members forms a closed and cylindrical portion of the stent. Further, each set of the stru t members includes a plurality of connected curve sections and diagonal sections. The sets of the strut members further include end sets of strut members located at each end of the stent and centr al sets of strut members located between the end sets of the strut members. The diagonal sections of the end sets of the strut members have a center portion and two ends. At least one o f the diagonal sections of the end sets of the strut members includes a tapered shape with width of one diagonal section is greater at the center of the diagonal section than the width at either end of the diagonal section.