Implantable, self-expanding prosthetic device

摘要

A prosthetic device for sustaining a vessel or hollow organ lumen (a stent) has a tubular wire frame ( 1 ) with rows of elongate cells ( 2 ) having a larger axis and a smaller axis. The cells are arranged with the larger axis in the circumferential direction of the frame ( 2 ) and the smaller axis parallel to the axial direction thereof. Each cell is formed by two U-shaped wire sections, and in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis one of the branches of the U-shaped wire sections in one row form together a closed ring shape ( 4 ) which provides the frame ( 1 ) with large radial stiffness. In the axial direction the frame ( 1 ) has only low stiffness so that it easily conforms to the vascular wall even if this deforms due to external loads. The interconnection between the cells ( 2 ) may be flexible.