STENT WITH CUSTOMIZED FLEXIBILITY

摘要

An expandable stent for implantation in a body lumen, such as an artery, is disclosed. The stent consists of a plurality of radially expandable cylindrical elements generally aligned on a common longitudinal stent axis and interconnected by one or more interconnecting members placed so that the stent is flexible in the longitudinal direction. At least one end of the opposite ends of the stent has fewer interconnecting members than a center section of the stent to provide localized flexibility to a selected region of the stent.