STENT HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF UNDULATING LONGITUDINALS

摘要

The present invention provides for an expandable stent for use in an artery or other vessel which forms a plurality of spaced apart generally circular rings. The stent structure (1) maintains patency of a vessel within which the stent is inserted and is formed by a plurality of closed and generally circular rings where the plane of each ring (2) is substantially parallel to the plane of an adjacent ring. The rings have a common longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the plane of each ring with the longitudinal axis passing through the geometric center of each of the rings. A plurality of elongated wire structures forming longitudinals are fixedly secured to the rings and extend in a direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rings. The stent formed of the generally circular rings optimizes hoop strength and minimizes elastic recoil of a vessel into which the stent is inserted.