BIFURCATED STENT WITH IMPROVED SIDE BRANCH APERTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

摘要

A stent (5) for insertion into a blood vessel is made from a sheet having a longitudinal axis and a first portion (10) and a second portion (30). The first portion (10) has a proximal end and a distal end and a first lateral side and a second lateral side with the lateral sides of the first portion substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and disposed apart from each other a first distance. The second portion (30) has a proximal end (16) and a distal end (17) and a first lateral side and a second lateral side with the lateral sides of the second portion substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and disposed apart from each other a second distance that is less than the first distance. The proximal end (16) of the second portion (30) communicates with the distal end of the first portion. The first lateral side of the first portion is connected to the second lateral side of the first portion and the first lateral side of the second portion is connected to the second lateral side of the second portion to form the stent. A portion of the distal end of the first portion and a portion of the proximal end of the second portion define a branch aperture.