Stent Fabrication Method

Abstract

A stent and a method for fabricating the stent are disclosed. The stent has an originally flat pattern and connection points where the sides of the flat pattern are joined. The method includes the steps of a) cutting a stent pattern into a flat piece of metal thereby to produce a metal pattern, b) deforming the metal pattern so as to cause two opposing sides to meet, and c) joining the two opposing sides at least at one point. Substantially no portion of the stent projects into the lumen of the stent when the stent is expanded against the internal wall of a blood vessel.

1 - 63 . (canceled)  
   
   
       64 . An expandable stent, comprising: 
 a plurality of portions connected, after removal of a plurality of temporary bridges, by a plurality of flexible compensating members, the flexible compensating members projecting from an external surface of the stent when the stent is in an unexpanded condition and configured to be in circumferential registry with remaining portions of the stent when the stent is in an expanded condition.    
   
   
       65 . The stent of  claim 64 , wherein the stent is expandable from a first diacter to a second diameter so the flexible compensating members project from the external surface of the stent when the stent is at the first diameter and are configured to be in circumferential registry with remaining portions of the stent when the stent is at the second diameter.  
   
   
       66 . An expandable stent, comprising: 
 a plurality of portions connected, after removal of a plurality of temporary bridges, by a plurality of flexible compensating members, wherein substantially no portion of the stent projects into a longitudinal lumen of the stent when the stent is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter.    
   
   
       67 . The stent of  claim 66 , wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter.