Radiopaque marker assembly

Abstract

A radiopaque marker having a frame and a radiopaque cuff joined to the frame. The frame includes first and second end frame members and lateral frame members. The radiopaque cuff is joined to the frame such that the radiopaque cuff is substantially co-planar with the first and second end frame members. The radiopaque marker may be joined to a stent, such as for vascular interventions. Variants of the stent include bare metal stents and drug-eluting stents. Embodiments of the stent include end projections for radiopaque markers or a discontinuous partial radiopaque coating on low-stress or low-strain regions of the peripheral stent. The stents are characterized by having thin walls, nested rows of struts, high expansion ratio, high and uniform radial force over entire diametric size and length of device, crush resistance up to and including about 90% of its fully expanded diameter, high fatigue resistance and high corrosion resistance.

1 . A radiopaque marker comprising, a frame member having a recessed portion and a radiopaque cuff coupled to the frame member and the recessed portion. 
     
     
         2 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque cuff has a surface that is substantially co-planar with the frame member. 
     
     
         3 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 1 , wherein the frame member further comprises a substantially quadrilateral frame having a central open region. 
     
     
         4 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 3 , wherein the recessed portion further comprises at least one surface of the substantially quadrilateral frame. 
     
     
         5 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 3 , wherein the radiopaque cuff has a portion thereof recessed within the central open region. 
     
     
         6 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 3  wherein the substantially quadrilateral frame further comprises a first end frame member and a second end frame member, each of the first end frame member and the second end frame member having a longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the substantially quadrilateral frame. 
     
     
         7 . The radiopaque of  claim 6 , wherein the substantially quadrilateral frame further comprises at least two lateral frame members extending between the first end frame member and the second end frame member and each of the at least two lateral frame members having a longitudinal axis co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the substantially quadrilateral frame. 
     
     
         8 . The radiopaque of  claim 7 , wherein the at least two lateral frame members have a Z-axis thickness less than a Z-axis thickness of the first end frame member and the second end frame member. 
     
     
         9 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 8 , wherein the radiopaque cuff encircles the at least two lateral frame members is substantially co-planar with a surface of the first end frame member and the second end frame member. 
     
     
         10 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two lateral frame members are laterally recessed relative to lateral surfaces of the first end frame member and the second end frame member and form a lateral recess area there between. 
     
     
         11 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 10 , wherein the radiopaque cuff is positioned in the laterally recessed area. 
     
     
         12 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 11 , wherein the radiopaque cuff is substantially co-planar with the lateral surfaces of the first end frame member and the second end frame member. 
     
     
         13 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 1 , further comprising a stent joined to the frame member. 
     
     
         14 . A radiopaque marker comprising a substantially quadrilateral frame member having a central open region and a radiopaque cuff coupled to the substantially quadrilateral frame member and having an outer surface of the radiopaque cuff that is substantially co-planar with the quadrilateral frame member. 
     
     
         15 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 14 , wherein the substantially quadrilateral frame member further comprises at least one recessed region configured to receive the radiopaque cuff therein. 
     
     
         16 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 14 , wherein the substantially quadrilateral frame further comprises a first end frame member and a second end frame member, each of the first end frame member and the second end frame member having a longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the substantially quadrilateral frame. 
     
     
         17 . The radiopaque of  claim 16 , wherein the substantially quadrilateral frame further comprises at least two lateral frame members extending between the first end frame member and the second end frame member and each of the at least two lateral frame members having a longitudinal axis co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the substantially quadrilateral frame. 
     
     
         18 . The radiopaque of  claim 15 , wherein the substantially quadrilateral frame further comprises a first end frame member and a second end frame member, each of the first end frame member and the second end frame member having a longitudinal axis substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the substantially quadrilateral frame and at least two lateral frame members extending between the first end frame member and the second end frame member and each of the at least two lateral frame members having a longitudinal axis co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the substantially quadrilateral frame, and the at least one recessed region is formed by the at least two lateral frame members having a Z-axis thickness less than a Z-axis thickness of the first end frame member and the second end frame member. 
     
     
         19 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 18 , wherein the at least two lateral frame members are laterally recessed relative to lateral surfaces of the first end frame member and the second end frame member and form a lateral recess area there between. 
     
     
         20 . The radiopaque marker of  claim 14 , further comprising a stent joined to substantially quadrilateral frame.