Expandable intraluminal graft

Abstract

A plurality of expandable and deformable intraluminal vascular grafts are expanded within a blood vessel by an angioplasty balloon associated with a catheter to dilate and expand the lumen of a blood vessel. The grafts may be thin-walled tubular members having a plurality of slots disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members, and adjacent grafts are flexibly connected by a single connector member disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular members.

1 .- 6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A balloon expandable stent for implantation at a site within a passageway of a coronary artery; comprising: 
 a tubular member formed as a unitary structure from a continuous thin-walled tube having a plurality of open areas that define closed perimeter cells; said tubular member having first and second ends and a wall having an outer wall surface disposed between the first and second ends;    said wall having a coating applied thereto that contains a drug that is released into the coronary artery passageway at the site of implantation;    the tubular member having a first diameter which permits intraluminal delivery of the tubular member into a lumen of a coronary artery to the site of implantation; and    the tubular member having a second, expanded and deformed diameter upon the application from the interior of the tubular member of a radically, outwardly expanding force, by inflating a balloon associated with the tubular member, which second diameter is variable and controlled by the amount of force applied to the tubular member, whereby the tubular member may be expanded and deformed to expand the coronary artery at the site of implantation.    
   
   
       8 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the coating is elastic.  
   
   
       9 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the coating has a plurality of openings to allow communication between the coronary artery passageway and the interior of the tubular member.  
   
   
       10 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the coating comprises a polymer.  
   
   
       11 . The expandable stent of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer is absorbable.  
   
   
       12 . The expandable stent of  claim 11 , wherein the absorbable polymer is selected from a group that consists of polyglycolides, polylactides, and copolymers thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the open areas are slots being disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member.  
   
   
       14 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the outer wall surface of the tubular member is a substantially smooth surface, when the tubular member has its first diameter.  
   
   
       15 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the wall of the tubular member is of a substantially uniform thickness.  
   
   
       16 . The expandable stent of  claim 7 , wherein the tubular member comprises a plurality of tubular segments and is sufficiently flexible so that the stent may be delivered through a curved portion of an access artery to a coronary artery.  
   
   
       17 . The expandable stent of  claim 16 , wherein the tubular segments are elongated.  
   
   
       18 . The expandable stent of  claim 16 , wherein the outer wall surface of the tubular member is a substantially smooth surface, when the tubular member has its first diameter.  
   
   
       19 . The expandable stent of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the tubular segments may individually function as a structure for maintaining patency of the passageway of a coronary artery.  
   
   
       20 . The expandable stent of  claim 16 , wherein the coating is elastic.  
   
   
       21 . The expandable stent of  claim 16 , wherein the coating has a plurality of openings to allow communication between the coronary artery passageway and the interior of the tubular member.  
   
   
       22 . The expandable stent of  claim 16 , wherein the coating comprises a polymer.  
   
   
       23 . The expandable stent of  claim 22 , wherein the polymer is absorbable.  
   
   
       24 . The expandable stent of  claim 23 , wherein the absorbable polymer is selected from a group that consists of polyglycolides, polylactides, and copolymers thereof.