STENT WITH ORIENTATION-DEPENDENT PROPERTIES

摘要

Stent (100) has a generally curved configuration when in a relaxed, radially- expanded state. The stent ( 100) may have a first series (31 ) of linkages located along a first side of the stent and a second series of linkages (68) located along a second side of the stent. Both series of linkages (31, 68) interconnect structural elements (35) of the stent. During deployment of the stent (100) into a vessel, the second series (68) of linkages provide for longitudinal expansion of the stent (100) greater than that provided by the first series of linkages (31) , if at all to produce a stent having a longer second side than a first side . This difference in longitudinal length between the second side and first side of the stent ( 1 00) creates a curved configuration which conforms to the curvature of the vessel into which it is implanted .